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Easy Green Apple Smoothie

A simple and healthy recipe for making an Easy Green Apple Smoothie, with lots of spinach, healthy fats,  fiber, and refreshing green apple.

two green apple smoothies with a flower arrangements on a wood board with a white background

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Can I take a second to rant about a pet peeve of mine? Mall smoothie stands. I LOATHE them. There you are, dead on your feet after scouring the sale racks in Anthropologie, Sephora, Nordstrom, and whatnot and you just want a cool, refreshing and light snack. You forgot to pack a little bite to eat in your purse (HELLO one must travel light to the mall), and you spot a smoothie booth. “Oh, a healthy snack”, you think.

green apple smoothie glasses on a wood board on a white background with leaves and green apple

One sip later your scrunching your nose up in disbelief. That sugary thing just can’t be healthy. I love to indulge from time to time, but if I’m spending money on a healthy, produce-filled smoothie, I want it to have some nutritional value without the added sugar. You can’t tell what type of syrups or liquids they’re putting in those mystery cups and gosh knows what’s in the yogurt. That’s why I made a healthy version of my favorite treat – and Orange Julius.

I guess my pet peeve lies in the imposter. Or the company trying to hoodwink us into thinking they have a rejuvenating product, but then we find that it’s filled with artificial ingredients after purchasing. I’m also saying that I use smoothies as vehicles to add extra nutritional content to my daily routine.

green apple smoothie glasses on a wood board on a white background with leaves and green apple

I’ve found that the combination of a frozen, very ripe, banana and nut milk makes for a very creamy and perfectly sweet creation. I now prefer my smoothies without dairy or yogurt. Fresh spinach also has the ability to adapt to its environment. You’re going to FREAK when I tell you how much spinach is in these guys, but I promise that it doesn’t taste like a salad. I’ll give you a few optional add-ins but this template is foolproof on its own.

Let’s get to it!

Cheers!

xoxx,

Miss AK


Love smoothies? Check out this Mocha Sweet Potato Smoothie!

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Easy Green Apple Smoothie

★★★★★

5 from 5 reviews

  • Author: Miss AK
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 1-2 1x
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Description

A simple and healthy recipe for making an Easy Green Apple Smoothie, with lots of spinach, healthy fats,  fiber, and refreshing green apple.

Scale

Ingredients

  • 1 ripe, frozen banana
  • 2 cups fresh spinach
  • 1 Tbsp. chia seeds
  • 1 Tbsp. flax seeds
  • 1 green apple, sliced
  • 1 cup unsweetened almond milk (or nut milk of choice)
  • Optional: protein powder or collagen of choice (THIS is the one I use by Ancient Nutrition)

Instructions

  1. Add all ingredients into a blender.
  2. Blend on high for 30 seconds to a minute. If you don’t have a very high-powered blender, you may need to stop and start your blender a few times to scrape the sides often and help your blender by mixing the ingredients.*
  3. Serve!

Notes

*My blender is NOT high powered (think a $30 blender from Costco), and this does the trick for a thick smoothie likes this one.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: abput 1 + 1/2 cups
  • Calories: 187
  • Sugar: 17g
  • Sodium: 115 mg
  • Fat: 6g
  • Saturated Fat: 0g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 4g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 32g
  • Fiber: 9g
  • Protein: 5g
  • Cholesterol: 0mg
This recipe was published in March 2017 and updated in June 2018.

Easy Instant Pot Venison Stew (slow cooker friendly)

Rich and tender Easy Instant Pot Venison Stew comes together quickly for the perfect rustic, comforting dinner to use up your harvest in the freezer.

Rich and tender Easy Instant Pot Venison Stew comes together quickly for the perfect rustic, comforting dinner to use up your harvest in the freezer. 

I honestly don’t know how to fully describe how impressed I was with this instant pot venison stew the first time I made it. J was away for the weekend and I wanted to test something in the Instant Pot for the blog. I happened to have some beef broth laying around, and there was venison defrosted in the fridge. So, to the kitchen, I went. 

Sometimes, I like to make venison stew on the stovetop. But when I’m in a pinch and don’t have 2 hours to wait for the meat to get tender, this is the trick. 

I quickly diced up a mirepoix, or onions celery and carrots. That’s the base of any good French soup or stew. I kept the rest of the ingredients simple because I didn’t want anything fancy. I added a French spice blend called herbs de Provence. It’s lovely and Wal Mart actually has a great organic variety for under $3. So sorry, no substitutions there. So, get you some herbs de Provence, friends.

I sauteed in the IP, added my liquid ingredients and went along on my merry way. When I made this soup the first time, we were packing to move into our first home, so time was scarce.

venison sauteed in an instant pot with a wooden spoon

vegetables and venison in an instant pot all diced up

I let the cycle finish, waited 10 minutes and I did a manual release because I wanted the stew to stop cooking. Then I casually scooped myself a bowl. I sat down on the couch to take a packing break and BAM.

The most tender piece of venison I’ve ever had in maaahhhh life, friends, because of the Instant Pot. I KID YOU NOT. This stew is honestly beautiful. It’s rustic, simple and even the most staunch venison opposer would probably fall in love with it. Instant Pot:1 Allie: 1 (I call this a win win situation).

I’ve found that the Instant Pot is perfect for cooking tender venison, you have to try my Instant Pot Red Wine Venison Pot Roast and my Instant Pot Venison Shepherd’s Pie.

 

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Easy Instant Pot Venison Stew (slow cooker friendly)

★★★★★

5 from 17 reviews

  • Author: Miss AK
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes + heating and release time
  • Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
  • Yield: 6 1x
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Description

Rich and tender Easy Instant Pot Venison Stew comes together quickly for the perfect rustic, comforting dinner to use up your harvest in the freezer.

Scale

Ingredients

  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 lb. venison, diced with all sinew removed – I used leg meat*
  • 2 tsp. herbs de Provence
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 3/4 tsp. black pepper
  • 4 cups diced potatoes, I left the skin on
  • 2 cups diced carrots
  • 1 cup diced celery
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 15 0z. can diced tomatoes
  • 4 cups unsalted beef broth
  • 3–4 dashes Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

  1. Dice the potatoes, carrots, celery and onion. Mince the garlic. Set aside in a bowl.
  2. Dice the venison into bite-sized chunks, being sure to remove any of the silvery sinew tissue. Leaving this on makes the meat tough.
  3. Add the olive oil to the base of the Instant Pot and add the cubed venison. Add the spices and seasoning.
  4. Turn the Instant Pot to “Saute” for 10 minutes.
  5. Allow the venison to saute for 5 minutes and add the bowl of vegetables. Saute until the cycle ends with the lid off.
  6. Add the tomatoes, broth and Worcestershire sauce. Stir well and secure the lid.
  7. Select “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” on high pressure and adjust the time to 30 minutes. Allow the Instant Pot to do its thang. Go pour some wine, do your nails, whatever.
  8. When the cycle finishes, allow it to naturally release for 10 minutes before turning the knob to venting according to manufacturer’s instructions.
  9. Allow the Instant Pot to vent fully, remove the lid and serve!

Notes

  • beef would work well, too! You can use any cut of venison, backstrap would be lovely. Leg meat is tough, so this recipe helps it to be tender and delish!
  • If you want to make this in the slow cooker, saute the venison in a pan and add it to the slow cooker with all of the other ingredients. Let it cook for 4-5 hours on high or 8 hours on low.
  • herbs de Provence is a French spice blend. It’s lovely and Wal Mart actually has a great organic variety for under $3. If you have to substitute, use Italian seasoning.

Post contains affiliate links. If you choose to purchase from one of the links, your price remains the same but I receive a small commission.

Whole30 Bison Sweet Potato Hash

This Whole30 Bison Sweet Potato Hash is the best better for you hash on the planet. It has crispy sweet potatoes and veggies, lean bison and the perfect blend of spices.

Looking for a better for you hash for breakfast (or whenever)? This Whole30 Bison Sweet Potato Hash has crispy sweet potatoes and veggies, lean bison and the perfect blend of spices. You can top with fried eggs, avocado, and cilantro for the best brunch or breakfast. This lower carb version can be made with turkey, beef, or venison, too. You make it on the stovetop and crisp it in the oven for the perfect potato. This recipe is #whole30approved and #paleo. #healthy #healthyrecipe #paleofood #breakfast

So, the longer I’ve been blogging, the harder it seems to get. Every single job has it’s ups and downs and sometimes, the more you know the more you’re like CRAP – I have a loooong way to go. But I think what sets some people apart is how they deal with things in adversity. It’s really easy to throw in the towel, to have a really sucky attitude, and I’m half writing this because this evening (that I’m writing on) has been about as fun as coming across a giant snake while you’re driving the poop wagon (this has happened to me in real life when I worked on a farm). And I kind of want to pout and admit defeat but gosh darnit – it’s almost 10:30 pm and I. AM. NOT. THROWING. IN. THE. TOWEL.

I’m going to talk to you about Whole30 Bison Sweet Potato Hash because it’s awesome. So HA!

Looking for a better for you hash for breakfast (or whenever)? This Whole30 Bison Sweet Potato Hash has crispy sweet potatoes and veggies, lean bison and the perfect blend of spices. You can top with fried eggs, avocado, and cilantro for the best brunch or breakfast. This lower carb version can be made with turkey, beef, or venison, too. You make it on the stovetop and crisp it in the oven for the perfect potato. This recipe is #whole30approved and #paleo. #healthy #healthyrecipe #paleofood #breakfast

No joke tho, this is dat good good. I worked very hard for you to get that kinda crispy kinda sticky hash edge that we all know is the real deal. I love the sweetness of the sweet potato in here and how it plays with that slightly more gamey ground bison that is all daaa rage these days. And for good reason, it’s a delicious, lean meat.

Looking for a better for you hash for breakfast (or whenever)? This Whole30 Bison Sweet Potato Hash has crispy sweet potatoes and veggies, lean bison and the perfect blend of spices. You can top with fried eggs, avocado, and cilantro for the best brunch or breakfast. This lower carb version can be made with turkey, beef, or venison, too. You make it on the stovetop and crisp it in the oven for the perfect potato. This recipe is #whole30approved and #paleo. #healthy #healthyrecipe #paleofood #breakfast

I sauteed the sweet potatoes and then added the veggies to cook everything well before adding the crisp.

 

Looking for a better for you hash for breakfast (or whenever)? This Whole30 Bison Sweet Potato Hash has crispy sweet potatoes and veggies, lean bison and the perfect blend of spices. You can top with fried eggs, avocado, and cilantro for the best brunch or breakfast. This lower carb version can be made with turkey, beef, or venison, too. You make it on the stovetop and crisp it in the oven for the perfect potato. This recipe is #whole30approved and #paleo. #healthy #healthyrecipe #paleofood #breakfast

 

Looking for a better for you hash for breakfast (or whenever)? This Whole30 Bison Sweet Potato Hash has crispy sweet potatoes and veggies, lean bison and the perfect blend of spices. You can top with fried eggs, avocado, and cilantro for the best brunch or breakfast. This lower carb version can be made with turkey, beef, or venison, too. You make it on the stovetop and crisp it in the oven for the perfect potato. This recipe is #whole30approved and #paleo. #healthy #healthyrecipe #paleofood #breakfast

And then, I mixed it all together and broiled it a bit on a baking sheet.

Looking for a better for you hash for breakfast (or whenever)? This Whole30 Bison Sweet Potato Hash has crispy sweet potatoes and veggies, lean bison and the perfect blend of spices. You can top with fried eggs, avocado, and cilantro for the best brunch or breakfast. This lower carb version can be made with turkey, beef, or venison, too. You make it on the stovetop and crisp it in the oven for the perfect potato. This recipe is #whole30approved and #paleo. #healthy #healthyrecipe #paleofood #breakfast

Here’s a picture of a bison that I took. 10 minutes later J drug me out of a field because I got too close (we saw them on our honeymoon). So, yeah!

Cool, back to hash. Top with a fried egg and voila!!

Looking for a better for you hash for breakfast (or whenever)? This Whole30 Bison Sweet Potato Hash has crispy sweet potatoes and veggies, lean bison and the perfect blend of spices. You can top with fried eggs, avocado, and cilantro for the best brunch or breakfast. This lower carb version can be made with turkey, beef, or venison, too. You make it on the stovetop and crisp it in the oven for the perfect potato. This recipe is #whole30approved and #paleo. #healthy #healthyrecipe #paleofood #breakfast

On my Instagram page, all y’all cutie friends (or like 80%) of you said you wanted a chunky hash like this so I delivered! My hubby is still begging me to make it like a shredded pancake, so I’ll update when I do! Anywho – here’s to hash & whole30!

Looking for a better for you hash for breakfast (or whenever)? This Whole30 Bison Sweet Potato Hash has crispy sweet potatoes and veggies, lean bison and the perfect blend of spices. You can top with fried eggs, avocado, and cilantro for the best brunch or breakfast. This lower carb version can be made with turkey, beef, or venison, too. You make it on the stovetop and crisp it in the oven for the perfect potato. This recipe is #whole30approved and #paleo. #healthy #healthyrecipe #paleofood #breakfast

If you want more Whole30 recipes, check out this page! It’s got all my faves.

Let’s be friends!! Come hang with me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest or sign up for my Email List!

 

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Whole30 Bison Sweet Potato Hash

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

  • Author: Miss AK
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 6 1x
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Description

This Whole30 Bison Sweet Potato Hash is the best better for you hash on the planet. It has crispy sweet potatoes and veggies, lean bison and the perfect blend of spices.

Scale

Ingredients

  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 lb. ground bison meat (or turkey or beef or venison)
  • 1 Tbsp. ghee (or butter if not Whole30)
  • 5 cups diced sweet potato (about 3 large)
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 2 bell peppers, diced
  • 1 tsp. chili powder
  • 1 tsp. cumin
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • optional – 1 pinch cayenne
  • optional – 4 fried eggs
  • cilantro for garnish

Instructions

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
  2. Brown the bison meat, about 8 minutes, remove from the pan and set aside.
  3. Dice the sweet potatoes
  4. Heat the butter in the same skillet over medium.
  5. Add the sweet potatoes and water to the pan, cover for 5-6 minutes until the water evaporates, stirring occasionally.
  6. Dice the onion and peppers and add them cooking for 3-4 minutes before adding the spices and seasoning. Cook for 1-2 more minutes before adding the bison back to the pan.
  7. Remove from the heat, and mix together well. Pour the contents of the pan out on a baking sheet in an even layer.
  8. Preheat the oven to high broil.
  9. Broil in the oven for about 5 minutes, checking frequently to make sure it doesn’t burn. Remove when the edges are crispy, but not burnt.
  10. While the hash broils, fry the eggs.
  11. Serve a scoop of hash with an egg, if desired, and a sprinkle of cilantro.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cup of hash (no egg)
  • Calories: 228
  • Sugar: 4
  • Sodium: 100
  • Fat: 10
  • Carbohydrates: 17
  • Protein: 17

Italian Style Avocado and Tomato Salad

Italian Style Avocado and Tomato Salad is a perfect, healthy side dish for when tomatoes are in season and you need something fast.

Italian Style Avocado and Tomato Salad is a perfect, healthy side dish for when tomatoes are in season and you need something fast.

There’s a common and valid misconception when it comes to me and cooking. I think a lot of people, rightfully, assume that I spend all day in my kitchen and wind up with gourmet meals to eat and bring to friend’s houses on a regular basis. It’s true, I make a lot of food, but sometimes I spend an entire day making energy balls and cocktails and that doesn’t really fly when I have to be at a party in an hour and someone asked me to bring a salad.

 

Italian Style Avocado and Tomato Salad

I’m pressed for time in the kitchen like all of you. I often don’t have an hour to spend on making something, especially when I’m going to a friend’s for dinner on a Wednesday at 7 and I have to finish up work and am craving a run. So, to make life easier on all of us, I’m sharing this recipe.

This recipe is no bake, no cook, and I bet you have 95% of this on hand already. All it takes is some avocado, tomato, olive oil, lemon, Italian seasoning, honey and some fresh basil if you have it.

Italian Style Avocado and Tomato Salad

It’s filling, it’s fresh, and all of your friends will be requesting “that avocado salad” when you’re headed to dinner on a random weekday. So, soak up some extra time with them on the back porch and spend less time in the kitchen. Summers are worth savoring.

Let’s be friends!! Come hang with me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest or sign up for my Email List!

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Easiest Avocado and Tomato Salad

  • Author: Miss AK
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: 8-10 1x
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Description

The Easiest Avocado and Tomato Salad that’s a perfect, healthy side dish for when tomatoes are in season and you need something fast.

Scale

Ingredients

  • 4 large or 5 small avocados
  • 7–8  Roma tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp. honey
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 2 tsp. Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. pepper
  • fresh basil

Instructions

  1. Dice the avocados and tomatoes and add them to a bowl.
  2. Mix up the olive oil, honey, lemon juice, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper by whisking in a bowl or shaking in a jar with a lid.
  3. Pour over the avocado tomato mixture and toss well. Sprinkle on some basil and serve.

Notes

The lemon helps keep the avocado from browning, so you can make this a few hours ahead of time.

I find that just barely ripe avocados that are still pretty firm work best here.

Paleo Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes

Make these Paleo Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes for your next backyard party so you don’t have to turn on the oven or grill to have an awesome, healthy meal!

Make these Paleo Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes for your next backyard party so you don't have to turn on the oven or grill to have an awesome, healthy meal!

 

I really never realized how much I liked sloppy joes until later in life. I’ve always had this like, staunch dislike for anything packaged or processed where food is concerned so the Manwich always kind of grossed me out as a kid. Don’t get me started on Hamburger Helper. EW. I literally think that is the only thing I have ever refused to eat.

Paleo Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes

Anyway, I am definitely a Sloppy Joe (or beef barbecue as some call it) lover now. There are so many ways to do it, but it’s the perfect thing to throw together in the morning before a weeknight meal on the deck with friends or before a weekend BBQ when a) you ain’t turning on that stove or b) you have way better things to do than babysit a meal on said stove. Like fold laundry or drink these Blackberry Hibiscus Vodka Lemonades.

Paleo Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes

I’ll take that 10 minute prep time game any freakin’ day of the week, friends. For a paleo version, serve them over paleo approved buns, in a baked sweet potato or potato or over a salad. Or, if you’re not paleo, suff inside a bun as you please. No judging here. We’re all sloppy joe loving friends.

Let’s be friends!! Come hang with me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest or sign up for my Email List!

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Paleo Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes

  • Author: Miss AK
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 8 hours
  • Total Time: 8 hours 10 minutes
  • Yield: 6 1x
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Description

Make these Paleo Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes for your next backyard party so you don’t have to turn on the oven or grill to have an awesome, healthy meal!

Scale

Ingredients

  • 1+1/2 lbs. lean ground beef (or turkey or venison)
  • 1/2 large onion, finely diced
  • 1 bell pepper, finely diced
  • 12 oz. tomato paste (two of the small cans)
  • 1 cup water
  • 3 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp. coconut sugar
  • 1 Tbsp. coconut aminos (or soy sauce/ aminos if not paleo)
  • 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. pepper
  • optional – 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

Instructions

  1. Dice the onion and peppers and add all of the ingredients into a slow cooker. Mix.
  2. Set the slow cooker to 4 hours on high (or 8 on low). Stir occasionally to break up the meat.
  3. Turn the slow cooker off and serve on buns (look for paleo approved), over baked sweet potatoes or in a salad.

How to Make the Perfect Paleo Party Platter

Showing you how to make the perfect paleo party platter to serve a healthy snack or appetizer at your next gathering!

Showing you how to make the perfect paleo party platter to serve a healthy snack or appetizer at your next gathering!

This post was sponsored by Paleo Valley. All thoughts and opinions remain my own. As always, thanks for supporting the growth of Miss AK!

Let me just start this off by saying that I truly love cheese. I really really do y’all. I’m not like a cheese on my burger kinda person, but like a good fancy AF, bougie cheese plate – I’m there. Where’s the rose? In full disclosure – sometimes cheese makes me feel super bloated. As do the 37 crackers I wash down with them.

How to Make the Perfect Paleo Party Platter

And don’t get me wrong, I’m all for indulging from time to time. Seriously, I am. But there are some days you don’t want to worry about not being able to button your pants and I think it’s OK to float between the two. Enter this Paleo Party Platter. 

How to Make the Perfect Paleo Party Platter

We’re going to make an easy cashew cheese dip, lay out some fruit, veggies, nuts, goodies, nut butter and my favorite paleo sausages – Paleo Valley Free Range Turkey Sticks. There’s a nice mixture of sweet and salty, some meat and a few dippers for you dip obsessed friends. Snack away!

How to Make the Perfect Paleo Party Platter

Sort of obsessed with this cashew cheese dip! I took my cashew cheese ball (that I used for this Pumpkin Shaped Cashew Cheese Ball) and make it more of a dip than a spread. YAS.

 

How to Make the Perfect Paleo Party Platter

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How to Make the Perfect Paleo Party Platter

  • Author: Miss AK
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 4-6 1x
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Description

Showing you how to make the perfect paleo party platter to serve a healthy snack or appetizer at your next gathering!

Scale

Ingredients

For the cashew cheese dip:

  • 1+1/2 cups soaked cashews
  • about 7 Tbsp.water
  • 1+1/2 Tbsp. nutritional yeast
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 3–4 dashes coconut aminos (soy sauce or liquid aminos if not paleo)
  • 3/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. pepper
  • 1 pinch cayenne

For the party platter:

  • cashew cheese
  • 4 Paleo Valley Turkey Sticks, sliced
  • 1/4 cup cashew butter – or nut butter of choice
  • 2 Persian cucumbers, cut into sticks
  • 3–4 mini bell peppers, halved
  • about 4–8 dates
  • handful of strawberries, halved
  • handful of blackberries
  • handful of almonds
  • handful of cashews
  • optional – kale for garnish

Instructions

  1. Begin by soaking the cashews. Boil about 3-4 cups of water.
  2. Pour the water over the cashews in a bowl and let them soak to soften for 15 minutes. Drain and rinse*
  3. While the cashews soak, start assembling the board. Place 3 ramekins out – one for the cashew cheese, one for the almond butter and one for some berries.
  4. Cut the turkey sticks and the vegetables and strawberries.
  5. First lay down the kale garnish, if using. Placing the turkey sticks and dates on them – this makes these items pop.
  6. Next arrange the other 2 larger items, the cucumbers and peppers.
  7. Fill in with the berries and add some berries to their designated bowl.
  8. Lastly, add the nuts to fill any crevices.
  9. When the cashews have been soaked, drained and rinsed add them to a food processor with the water, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, garlic, coconut aminos, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Process until smooth.
  10. Pour the nut butter and cashew cheese into their ramekins and serve! Voila!

Notes

You can also soak the cashews in cool water for 4 hours-overnight.

This board is very flexible. You can use different types of nuts, fruits, and veggies!

Everything You Need in Your Hiking Daypack

A modern guide to everything you need in your hiking daypack to make sure you’re happy, healthy and prepared without being weighed down.

Everything You Need in Your Hiking Daypack

Paleo Valley was kind enough to provide the product for this post. As always all thoughts and opinions remain my own. Post contains affiliate links.

It’s no secret that my husband J and I love the outdoors. He’s an avid sportsman, I was practically raised in a barn and we both spent many family vacations camping or summer evenings pitching a tent in the backyard.

Over the past few years, we’ve discovered that hiking is something we really enjoy doing together. Whether we’re blazing our own trail on state game lands, hiking to the mountain peak where we got engaged, or finding new paths in our travels we make sure we’re prepared for what nature has to offer.

We rarely hike overnight (although hopefully we will more in the future), so I’m sharing our favorite gear and essentials for what we’re packing in our hiking day packs. I thought it would be fun and helpful to share what we pack because I know so many of you share our love for the outdoors.

We always suggest chatting with a few knowledgeable people before you venture out in a new area, securing food sources, making sure you have enough water, figuring out the forecast, and checking what sort of wildlife are near in the area.

Alrighty, then. To start off, here are the packs that we use:

These are perfect for daytime trips. I will note – the pack that I’m linking here that I use feels a little small and uncomfortable for J and my brother. They’re both pretty strapping dudes over 6’2”, so keep that in mind. I, however, am 5’9”, with a slight frame, and find the Talon 22 to be perfect for me.

Here’s what we always bring with us in our hiking daypacks:

  • Hydration packs
  • Snacks
  • GPS
  • Mace/bear spray
  • Paracord
  • Leatherman
  • Flint and/or magnesium
  • Flashlight
  • First aid kit
  • Bandana

Here’s why:

Hydration packs – we both carry a 72 oz. hydration pack. This is pretty self-explanatory, but both of the backpack models I’ve linked above have special compartments to carry it. I wouldn’t venture out with much less water than that for any hike because you just don’t know.

 

Snacks – we always travel with an abundance of snacks. Here are our favorites:

  • Paleo Valley Grass Fed Beef and Free Range Turkey Sticks – when we’re out there, we need a little meat to keep us moving. We love these meat sticks because they have amazing ingredients, they are CRAZY juicy, and they even have probiotics packed in there with the variety of delish flavors.
  • Oranges – I love to travel with oranges. They don’t bruise as easily as apples and bananas so they can be thrown in the bottom of our packs. They also feel super hydrating.
  • Trail mix – a little sweet, a little salty, a little bit of healthy fat. Aldi has a really great survival mix we love.
  • Date & nut bars – like RX Bar and Lara Bar are great ones to bring, too.

 

A handheld GPS – We bring J’s handheld Garmin 64 ST EVERYWHERE. This thing is worth the price tag. It’s a really high-quality GPS that works when you don’t have service or a clue where you are. We also always put a maker where we start out or park our vehicle, so we can find our way back if we decide to venture off the path. This is a must if you’re going off trail or doing serious hiking in an unknown place.

 

Mace/bear spray – mace is a good idea for self-protection on the regular. You may want to check with the locals in the area on bear spray. We have black bears in PA that are usually harmless so we rarely bring it, but when we ventured into grizzly country out west, we brought a can everywhere.

 

Paracord – A really versatile rope comes in handy for SO many things.

 

Leatherman or multi-tool– J has the Leatherman Wave and it’s always good to have a small knife, tweezers, pliers, scissors, screwdrivers, etc. You never know!

 

Flint and or magnesium – for fire starting. If you plan to make a fire, or if you want to be prepared for when you may need to, these can make your life a little easier. We also have waterproof matches.

 

Flashlight and/or headlamp – throw in some extra batteries for safety. J gave me a headlamp as one of my gifts our first Christmas together (LOL, I know) but it’s actually amazing.

 

First aid kit – self-explanatory but necessary.

 

Bandana – aside from “looking cool” on his head (again, LOL) J likes to keep his bandana with him in the event that he would need to make a tunicate. (can you tell we wrote this together??)

 

These are a sampling of the things we wouldn’t venture out with. Of course, there are so many neat items out there designed to keep you safe and each person has their own preferences. We hope this is helpful for your and that you’ll keep on exploring, too!

 

Harvest Turkey Enchiladas with Paleo Pumpkin Enchilada Sauce

A hearty & comforting main dish! These Harvest Turkey Enchiladas with Paleo Pumpkin Enchilada Sauce will warm you from head to toe. 

 

Harvest Turkey Enchiladas with Paleo Pumpkin Enchilada Sauce

Harvest Turkey Enchiladas with Paleo Pumpkin Enchilada Sauce

I don’t really know what else to say but yeahhhhh… I went there. Or more like we went there. This one is another Miss AK & J mashup, and I have to say I’m duuuurn proud of us.

About once every few weeks I ask J what he’s craving. Sometimes, I just make what he wants on the weekend, for our lunches, it varies. But last week, he said he was craving some Mexican food. And I was like OMG, enchiladas, and he was like OMG, yeah! And I was like OMG, let’s put pumpkin in it. And BAM. Blogworthy. Promise we don’t talk like valley girls at home.

I had some sweet potato, cabbage and kale lying around and decided to run with the whole harvest theme, and I have to say these enchiladas are a fall staple. You’ll see that this recipe serves 8 people. When I made this I was surprised to see how far the filling stretched. I thought – why not make this a large batch recipe for 8 people for when you have to feed a crowd?! I know you guys need some entertaining ideas. BUT, you can absolutely just half the recipe if you need to feel fewer people.

Harvest Turkey Enchiladas with Paleo Pumpkin Enchilada Sauce

LET’S GET TO IT!

Harvest Turkey Enchiladas with Paleo Pumpkin Enchilada Sauce

WHAT YOU’LL NEED (increments below in the printout):

Olive oil

Sweet potatoes

Onion

Bell pepper

Ground turkey

Garlic

Purple cabbage

Kale

Tortillas

Tomato sauce

Pumpkin puree

Apple cider vinegar

Chili powder

Cumin

Garlic powder

Optional: Pepper Jack cheese or nutritional yeast and fresh cilantro for topping

Harvest Turkey Enchiladas with Paleo Pumpkin Enchilada Sauce

WHAT YOU’LL DO:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Begin by washing, peeling and cubing the sweet potatoes. Place them into a large skillet with about 1 teaspoon of the olive oil and a few tablespoons of water. Allow these to steam, stirring occasionally, for about 10-15 minutes.

Meanwhile, finely chop the cabbage. Dice the onion and bell pepper and mince the garlic. Set the vegetables aside.

For the Pumpkin Enchilada sauce, add 1 teaspoon of the olive oil along with 1 and 1/2 teaspoon of chili powder, the garlic powder and 1/2 teaspoon of cumin to a saucepan. Toast for 1 minute before adding the apple cider vinegar, tomato sauce, pumpkin and water to the pot. Bring to a boil, cover and turn the mixture to the simmer. Let it cook until the meat mixture is finished, about 10-15 minutes.

Harvest Turkey Enchiladas with Paleo Pumpkin Enchilada Sauce

When the sweet potatoes have cooked, remove them from the pan, add the remaining oil, and add the onions and peppers. Let them saute for about 5 minutes before adding the turkey, garlic and remaining chili powder and cumin. When the turkey has browned, add the cabbage and cook for 3-4 minutes.

Add the kale and let it reduce for about 3 minutes, and turn the burner off. Add the sweet potatoes and mix well. Take the enchilada sauce off the heat, as well.

Scoop a bit of the mixture into each of your tortilla shells and wrap. Place seam side down in a casserole dish sprayed with olive oil. You may need two casserole dishes depending on the size of yours.

When all of the tortillas have been filled, evenly pour the sauce over the dishes and place in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove, and if you’re adding cheese, do so now. If you added cheese place back into the oven for 5-10 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly.

Let this cool for a bit before serving up! Enjoy!

 

xoxx,

Miss AK

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Harvest Turkey Enchiladas with Paleo Pumpkin Enchilada Sauce
Serves: 8
This is a large batch recipe that feeds 8 people! It’s amazing for a crowd and re-heats well. If you need to feed fewer people, simply halve the recipe.
Ingredients
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 sweet bell pepper, diced
  • 1 lb. ground turkey – I used 90% lean
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 c. chopped, purple cabbage
  • 3 c. chopped kale
  • 3 + 1/2 teaspoons chili powder, divided
  • 1 + 1/2 teaspoons cumin, divided
  • 16 Tortillas
  • 1 16oz. can tomato sauce
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 + 1/2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • Optional: Pepper Jack cheese (about 1/2 cup shredded) or nutritional yeast and fresh cilantro for topping
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Begin by washing, peeling and cubing the sweet potatoes. Place them into a large skillet with about 1 teaspoon of the olive oil and a few tablespoons of water. Allow these to steam, stirring occasionally, for about 10-15 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, finely chop the cabbage. Dice the onion and bell pepper and mince the garlic. Set the vegetables aside.
  4. For the Pumpkin Enchilada sauce, add 1 teaspoon of the olive oil along with 1 and 1/2 teaspoon of chili powder, the garlic powder and 1/2 teaspoon of cumin to a saucepan. Toast for 1 minute before adding the apple cider vinegar, tomato sauce, pumpkin and water to the pot. Bring to a boil, cover and turn the mixture to the simmer. Let it cook until the meat mixture is finished, about 10-15 minutes.
  5. When the sweet potatoes have cooked, remove them from the pan, add the remaining oil, and add the onions and peppers. Let them saute for about 5 minutes before adding the turkey, garlic and remaining chili powder and cumin. When the turkey has browned, add the cabbage and cook for 3-4 minutes.
  6. Add the kale and let it reduce for about 3 minutes, and turn the burner off. Add the sweet potatoes and mix well. Take the enchilada sauce off the heat, as well.
  7. Scoop a bit of the mixture into each of your tortilla shells and wrap. Place seam side down in a casserole dish sprayed with olive oil. You may need two casserole dishes depending on the size of yours.
  8. When all of the tortillas have been filled, evenly pour the sauce over the dishes and place in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove, and if you’re adding cheese, do so now. If you added cheese place back into the oven for 5-10 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly.
  9. Let this cool for a bit before serving up! Enjoy!

 

Mango Meatballs with Cashew Dipping Sauce

gluten-free mango meatballs with cashew dipping sauce pack a tropical summer punch!

Mango Meatballs with Cashew Dipping Sauce

Mango Meatballs with Cashew Dipping Sauce

Thank you to House Autry Mills for sponsoring this post. As always, all product opinions remain my own. Many thanks to all for making the growth of Miss Allie’s Kitchen possible!

MANGO MEATBALLS WITH CASHEW DIPPING SAUCE…say that 5 times fast! It’s hard, right? You know what isn’t hard? Eating about 10 of these little beauties in one sitting. I may or may not know this from experience.

Mango, to me, absolutely screams summer. It isn’t always as readily available as berries, so it’s aways such a treat when I get to enjoy the flavor. There’s nothing I enjoy more than a good combo of sweet, savory and spicy. The spice level here is what I would deem as the green circle. You know when you go skiing and there are all of the different hills and they’re each labeled with either – green circle, blue square, black diamond, or double black diamond? The green circle is undoubtedly the mildest of the courses, as is the spice level in this dipping sauce. Okay, now why am I talking about skiing when it’s almost summer…

Mango Meatballs with Cashew Dipping Sauce - Gluten Free!

Back to our mango meatballs. They’re a delicious spin on a classic meatball, packed with mango (DUH), jalapenos, red onion, and Oven-Baked Gluten-Free Extra Crispy Pork Seasoning from House Autry Mills.  I tested these Mango Meatballs out on my parents, and my mom happens to be gluten free. The seasoning, which we’re using in place of breadcrumbs, is actually made in a separate facility designated for gluten-free items, making it perfect for those with allergies. I was crazy about the flavor and texture that the seasoning brought to the meatballs along with some extra wholesome goodness.

These are delicious served alone as the main protein, as an appetizer, over zoodles, or over your favorite rice blend. I do not recommend bathing in the Cashew Dipping Sauce, although you may want to.

Mango Cashew Dipping Sauce

Let’s get to it!

WHAT YOU’LL NEED (measurements below):

Ground pork or turkey – I actually used turkey!

Mango

Gluten-Free Extra Crispy Pork Seasoning from House Autry  or breadcrumb of your choice

Egg

Red onion

Jalapeno

Cashews

Soy or coconut aminos

Red chili paste

Honey

Lime

Mango Meatballs

WHAT YOU’LL DO:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Peel and dice your mango, setting aside 1/2 cup for the meatballs and 1/4 cup for the dipping sauce. Dice the red onion and jalapeno and add that to a bowl with the mango designated for the meatballs, crispy pork seasoning, egg, ground meat, and salt. Mix well with your hands or a spoon and shape them into meatballs using about 1.5 tablespoons of meat mixture for each. Bake for 25 – 30 minutes, or until the meatballs are just slightly browned and crispy.

Add the remaining mango, cashews, lime juice, aminos, water, honey, and chili paste into a blender or food processor. Blend until very smooth. Pour into a small bowl or ramekin for serving.

When the meatballs are cooked, serve with the dipping sauce & enjoy!

Mango Meatballs with Cashew Dipping Sauce

xoxx,

Miss AK

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Mango Meatballs with Cashew Dipping Sauce
Author: Miss AK
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4 people
Ingredients
  • 1 lb. ground pork or turkey – I actually used turkey!
  • 1/2 c. diced Mango
  • 1/2 c. Gluten-Free Extra Crispy Pork Seasoning from House Autry or breadcrumb of your choice
  • 1 Egg
  • 1/2 c. diced red onion
  • 1 jalapeno, diced and deseeded
  • 1 c. cashew pieces
  • 1 tsp. soy or coconut aminos
  • 1 tsp. red chili paste
  • 1 tsp. honey
  • 1 lime, juiced
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Peel and dice your mango, setting aside 1/2 cup for the meatballs and 1/4 cup for the dipping sauce. Dice the red onion and jalapeno and add that to a bowl with the mango designated for the meatballs, crispy pork seasoning, egg, ground meat, and salt. Mix well with your hands or a spoon and shape them into meatballs using about 1.5 tablespoons of meat mixture for each. Bake for 25 – 30 minutes, or until the meatballs are just slightly browned and crispy.
  2. Add the remaining mango, cashews, lime juice, aminos, water, honey, and chili paste into a blender or food processor. Blend until very smooth. Pour into a small bowl or ramekin for serving.
  3. When the meatballs are cooked, serve with the dipping sauce & enjoy!

 

Gluten Free Mango Meatballs with Cashew Dipping Sauce

5 Ingredient Chorizo Salsa Breakfast Bake

make your next breakfast or brunch a breeze with this chorizo and salsa-infused masterpiece. And yes, I said 5 ingredients. 

    Salsa and Chorizo Egg Bake

Chorizo Salsa Breakfast Bake

thanks to Green Mountain Gringo Salsa for sponsoring this post. as always, all thoughts and opinions remain my own and I only work with brands I trust. thank you for supporting the growth of Miss Allie’s Kitchen.

Has anyone else noticed that brunch has gotten to be insanely popular these past few years? It’s the new thing to find the trendiest spot, round up all of your most fabulous friends (who are still gushing about the night before), pile into a plush booth and order farm to table food and craft cocktails.

Oh wait… I live in the middle of nowhere. Yeah, about that, the verdict is still out on whether I should open up my own little brunch joint. Anyone looking to make an investment? Just kidding.

Anyway, BRUNCH. Honestly, I love to host my own. Not only do I (happily) live in a town where the restaurant pickings are slim, but um, my budget doesn’t love weekly brunch either. So, I’ve started making it myself.

The Best Brunch: Chorizo & Salsa Egg Bake

It’s such a fun meal to make! It isn’t as complex as dinner, all you really need is a main dish, a fruit salad or parfait, cheery cocktails and perhaps a muffin…or two.

I guess the only downside to brunch is that you’d don’t have all day to prep it. Simple and easy is key if you don’t want your guests to arrive while you’re still in a tizzy.

This 5 ingredient egg bake couldn’t be simpler. We’re just combining eggs, roasted sweet potatoes, chorizo, salsa, cheese, mixing and baking until golden brown. There’s no need to chop a million veggies, we’re using Green Mountain Gringo Salsa to cut down on prep time. I absolutely love using jarred salsa in recipes; it’s such a life hack.  Premium Green Mountain Gringo Salsa is my absolute favorite – their ingredients are natural and fresh, it feels like I went out to pick the veggies myself, to be honest. I’m all about simple, non-GMO ingredients, and their blend of tomatoes, onions, and peppers is pulled together with a bit of ACV and sea salt.  If I can find it in my small town grocery store, I bet you can find it in yours!

This would make the perfect accompaniment to your spring table or Easter Brunch!

Let’s get to it!

Chorizo & Salsa Egg Bake

WHAT YOU’LL NEED (measurements below):

Eggs

Chorizo

A jar of salsa – I love Green Mountain Gringo 

Sweet potatoes

Cheese (for Whole30/ Paleo omit cheese)

(note: I’m assuming you have olive or avocado oil, salt, and pepper)

Salsa Infused Easy Egg Bake

WHAT YOU’LL DO:

Begin by roasting your sweet potatoes. You can certainly use leftovers or do this the night before. To roast, heat your oven to 400 degrees. Wash, peel and chop your sweet potatoes into small 1/2 inch cubes. Toss them in 1 teaspoon of oil and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Roast for 22-25 minutes until they are soft and slightly browned.

Next, heat a pan or skillet over medium heat. Add a teaspoon of oil and heat in the pan. Add the chorizo and cook thoroughly for about 8 minutes. Spoon the chorizo onto a paper towel set on a plate to absorb some grease.

Allow the sweet potatoes and chorizo to cool slightly while cracking all of the eggs into a bowl and whisking vigorously for about 1 minute with a fork. Grate your cheese. Add the sweet potatoes, chorizo, remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of pepper and 1/2 cup of cheese into the whisked eggs and stir. Pour mixture into a casserole dish lightly greased with the remaining teaspoon of oil. Spoon half of the jar of salsa randomly into the dish and swirl in. Cover the casserole dish with foil. Place it into the oven and remove foil when 40 minutes have passed. Cook for an additional 10 minutes, remove from the oven and add the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese. Place back into the oven for 8 minutes or until the cheese is golden and bubbly. Enjoy!

Southwest Chorizo Egg Bake

xoxx,

Miss AK

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5 Ingredient Chorizo Salsa Breakfast Bake
Author: Miss AK
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 8
Ingredients
  • 12 eggs
  • 1 lb ground chorizo
  • 1/2 jar of salsa
  • 4 cups roasted sweet potatoes – about 2-3 medium sweet potatoes
  • 1 cup grated Manchego cheese (for Whole30/ Paleo omit cheese)
  • 3 tsp olive or avocado oil, divided
  • 1 tsp salt divided
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
Instructions
  1. Begin by roasting your sweet potatoes. You can certainly use leftovers or do this the night before. To roast, heat your oven to 400 degrees. Wash, peel and chop your sweet potatoes into small 1/2 inch cubes. Toss them in 1 teaspoon of oil and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Roast for 22-25 minutes until they are soft and slightly browned.
  2. Next, heat a pan or skillet over medium heat. Add a teaspoon of oil and heat in the pan. Add the chorizo and cook thoroughly for about 8 minutes. Spoon the chorizo onto a paper towel set on a plate to absorb some grease.
  3. Allow the sweet potatoes and chorizo to cool slightly while cracking all of the eggs into a bowl and whisking vigorously for about 1 minute with a fork.
  4. Grate your cheese.
  5. Add the sweet potatoes, chorizo, remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of pepper and 1/2 cup of cheese into the whisked eggs and stir. Pour mixture into a casserole dish lightly greased with the remaining teaspoon of oil. Spoon half of the jar of salsa randomly into the dish and swirl in. Cover the casserole dish with foil.
  6. Place it into the oven and remove foil when 40 minutes have passed. Cook for an additional 10 minutes, remove from the oven and add the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese. Place back into the oven for 8 minutes or until the cheese is golden and bubbly. Enjoy!

 

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5 Ingredient Chorizo & Salsa Egg Bake - with a Whole30 option!

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