Paleo Chili Y'all

Who doesn't love a big ole' pot of chili? Especially on a cold snowy day...which is what we've been having here lately in good ole' Arkansas. One day it's spring, the next it's snow. Hey, I'm not complaining though! My husband and I love chili, LOVE. But, we wanted a healthier version...so here we are. This recipe is super easy and super super DELISH.

Here's what you need:

2 tablespoons of Coconut Oil 
2 Yellow Onions (or 1 large)1 bulb of Garlic ( not sure how to peel it? check out this tutorial )
Himalayan Pink Salt (optional - see directions)
1 lb. Bison
1 lb. Ground Beef
1 can of Organic Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes
1 can of Organic Tomato Paste
1 3/4 cup of Chicken Broth

Spices to be added after meat cooks:
1 teaspoon Granulated Garlic
2 tablespoons of Organic Chili Powder 
1 1/2 tablespoons of Organic Cocoa Powder
1/2 + 1/4 teaspoons of Organic Cayenne


Now let's cook:
Chop onion and mince garlic. On medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of coconut oil and then add onion and garlic. Cook for about 5-7 mins, stir to prevent sticking. Next add your meat of choice. You can use any meat of your choice, we love Bison, so we always try to include it!

While meat is cooking you're going to mix your spices. Now, for the 1/2 + 1/4 Cayenne...my hubby loves spicy foods. I can do spicy (with a glass of almond milk nearby....lol) but not super spicy. So we made this batch of chili a few times until we found a happy medium on how much Cayenne to use. Obviously you can use more or less.

Once the meat is cooked, stir seasoning mix in. After you've mixed the seasoning, add tomato paste and stir for about 2 mins. Next, add can of fire roasted tomatoes with their juice and chicken broth. Now, some recipes for chili that I've seen that call for broth, call for beef broth. The first time we made this, all I had was chicken broth so that's what we used. Don't worry...it turns out amazing! 

Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer.
*most recipes I've seen say to simmer for a couple of hours. However, we've not made it early enough to let it simmer that long. Plus, we're too impatient to wait because it's so yummy!

How do you like your chili? In a bowl? Chili dogs? Chili dogs are my favorite and for the longest was the only way I would eat chili. Here are the toppings we use for our chili dogs (minus the mustard for the hubs) and we use GF/DF buns:

My idea of the PERFECT chili dog! :)

Hope y'all enjoy as much as we do! :)

God Bless!

Gluten/Dairy Free Mac and Cheese

Our son has been on a gluten/dairy free diet for quite some time. And for quite some time I've been on the hunt for a yummy mac and cheese recipe. In the past we tried some various brands, out of the box. And while it was gluten/dairy free....sadly, it tasted and smelled like tires. No joke.

My husband is currently stationed overseas and I told him that while he was away I WOULD find or make a recipe that was yummy. Our son has Autism, so he's extremely picky when it comes to food, certain textures or smells he just can't do. So receiving two thumbs up was the Ronnie stamp of approval.

That's the face I was hoping to see after he tasted it! 

Ingredients Needed:

Gluten Free Noodles - I used a 12 oz package - will include picture.
1 1/2 Cups of Soy Milk
1 - 8 oz Package of Daiya Mozzarella Style Shreds Cheese - you can use cheddar instead if you want.
3 Tablespoons of Earth Balance Butter
1/4 teaspoon Garlic Power
1/4 teaspoon Ground Mustard
1/4 teaspoon Salt - add more if needed.

His noodles, which by the way I picked up at Walmart, are little ducks. Ducks! How cute is that? And he was SO excited about it too!

Ready to Cook?

Cook pasta as instructed on package. I used the entire 12 oz package.  After noodles are done cooking, drain and set aside. In a medium sauce pan, on low heat, melt your 3 tablespoons of butter. Whisk garlic powder and ground mustard in with butter. Add your package of cheese and milk. Stir occasionally, cook for about 15 mins. Mix cheese sauce and pasta until well combined.

He had TWO helpings and another bowl for an after bath snack. This is :HUGE: for him! :)

I hope you enjoy as much as we did! :)