Crossfit Eureka Ladies Antioxidant Party!

Ladies, don't forget we have our Antioxidant party 

Friday night from 6:00-9:00. 

Please see the Event Board (next to the WOD board) at the box for details 

or give us a call  for directions.  

See you there!

Quick and Easy Meatball Soup

We were having a rather chilly day the other day and something warm sounded good.  Meatballs came to mind and I also had soup on the brain, so why not combine the two and make Meatball soup?!  Here is the recipe for the soup I created and we all enjoyed that day. As always please take liberty to change what you need to make it more to your liking or to what you may have in your fridge.  This is just an idea to inspire you, enjoy!

QUICK AND EASY MEATBALL SOUP

For the Meatballs:

2 pounds grassfed ground beef

2 tsp. dried basil

1/2 tsp ground pepper

1 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp dried oregano

2 eggs

1/2 cup blanched almond meal

Add all ingredients to a large bowl and mix well with your hands.  Then roll  into small meatballs, mine were a bit larger than I will make them next time, but it's really just a matter of what you prefer.  Set them off to the side, wash your hands and then assemble all your soup ingredients.

Soup:

6 cups beef broth

1 can Italian style diced tomatoes (not stewed, they generally contain corn syrup)

3/4 cup chopped yellow onion

1/2 pound fresh spinach, chopped (or several large handfuls)

6 stalks of celery, chopped

2 cups of chopped carrots

1 cup zucchini, chopped

2 cups yellow summer squash, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, diced

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

2 tsp chopped fresh organo

1/4 cup parsley

Sea salt and Pepper to taste

Combine all of the soup ingredients and bring to a boil, then add the desired amount of meatballs ( I ended up adding all of them in the end).  Reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until your meatballs are nicely done and your veggies are done.  Quick, Easy and Tasty!

Chocolate!

Lindt 85% bars are on sale through the 24th of this month at Target for an impressive $2.29! That's a .40 saving from the regular price.
Also they have some wine on sale at Target so stock up and get your anti-oxidant party on!
Stay tuned for info on the first annual ladies anti-oxidant party coming soon!

Bargains of the Week

Since I threw my back out yesterday, I wasn't able to really do my Grocery shopping.  So this list is just taken from previewing their sale flyers online.  I did however do some shopping at Costco and am so thankful it is fall and they have brought back the pre-cut butternut squash packages and Brussels sprouts, two of our favorites!  Highlighted are my favorites!

And as always with any of my recommendations please read the labels for yourself. We each have things we consider acceptable or tolerable, those may not be the same for you as they are for me, so don't take my word for it, read the labels. 

Northcoast Co-Op Specials Sept 13-Oct. 3rd:

Tomaso's Pasta Sauce 25 oz.  $3.29 (reg. $3.69)

Humboldt Grass fed Ground beef  80% $2.59 (reg. $2.99)

Fortunatas 24 oz pasta sauce $3.59 (reg $3.99)

Lara Bars, SELECT varieties 1.7 oz. $99 (reg. $1.59)

Yogi Tea 16 bags $2.99

Eureka Natural Foods Sept 14-Sept 20:

Eel River Organic Ground beef 90% lean $3.99 per lb. (reg. $4.99)

Eel River Organic Beef Cross Rib Roast $4.99 per lb. (reg $5.99)

Local Organic Tomatoes $1.49 per pound

Local Organic Zucchini $1.39 per pound

Local Organic Chard, Kale, Collards, etc. $1.29 per bunch

Sales good until 9/30/11

Yogi Organic Bedtime tea 16 bags $3.19

Naked Coconut Water $1.49 per pound

Nordic Naturals of several varieties are on sale

Bioron Arnica Gel  2.6 oz. $8.99

Winco:

Lara Bars in select flavors like Apple Pie, Cherry Pie, Cashew Cookie, etc. $.99 each

Lindt Chocolate Bars 

(85% is my favorite & I have found they usually have the best prices in town) 3.5 oz. $2.30 each (just be sure to do some label reading on these).

"Pizza" Paleo Style...and Yummy!

This recipe was inspired and adapted from a recipe in the book Everyday Paleo by Sarah Fragoso, Everyday Paleo Pizza.  I have made some modifications to her recipe to meet our personal preferences, if you would like to try her original recipe please reference her book (page 84).  You may buy a copy of her book here.

PALEO PIZZA

That said here is my take on her recipe:

CRUST INGREDIENTS:

2 cups blanched almond meal

2 large eggs

3 TBSP olive oil

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 tsp garlic powder or granules

3/4-1 tsp dried basil

1/4 tsp dried oregano

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a cookie sheet with olive oil and set aside. In a medium mixing bowl combine all the ingredients until well combined, then using your hands form the dough into a ball.   Place the ball of dough in the middle of your cookie sheet, then using your hands flatten and pat the dough out into a circle, making the dough as thin as possible.  It should be about one foot across.  Bake just the crust for 20 minutes.  

While the crust is baking is a good time to prepare your toppings.  I used leftover spaghetti meat, grass fed ground beef with Kirkland Signature Marinara sauce.  But you can use whatever you like, sausage, chicken, ground turkey etc.    The first time I made it I used the leftover meat/sauce from spaghetti, topped with some chopped yellow summer squash and some chopped fresh tomatoes.  The second time I made it we topped it with the same meat, but used some olives, chopped sweet onion, and some chopped fresh basil too.  Use your imagination or what you have around, the crust is really just a base and a yummy one it is!  The crust will give you a thin crunchy, tasty crust to build off of.  Even the quantities of ingredients for your toppings can be adjusted to your preference, this is really your recipe.  Have fun!

Topping suggestions:

1 pound or more of ground sausage, ground beef, ground turkey, chicken etc.

1 cup yellow squash, diced

1 TBSP chopped fresh basil (or more)

1/2 cup chopped tomatoes

1/3 cup chopped Lindsey Natural olives
1/4 cup chopped sweet onion or red onion

Jar of marinara sauce, you won't need it all so a partial jar would work too. (Be sure it's gluten free, and free of unwanted additives or added sugar)

You may do as I did and premix the sauce and meat (which is my preference) or spread the desired amount of sauce on the crust and top with your toppings.  Once you have your "pizza" assembled place it back in the oven and bake for about 30 minutes.  Enjoy!  

I don't think of it as Pizza per say, but a yummy Italian style dish, everyone including my skeptical big kids loved it and request it!  It was a nice alternative to the Paleo meals we have been eating lately, lot's of grilled meat and veggies.  Like I said earlier, use your imagination as far as the toppings go, get creative and enjoy!

Crust baked and topped with meat and sauce combo. 

All the toppings on and ready to bake (this was my 2nd pizza version).

Baked and ready to eat.  Mmmm, yummy!

This is what my first version looked like after it was baked and ready to eat. 

Both versions were supper tasty!

One delectable slice of Paleo Pizza, Yum!

Bargains of the Week

Did my Grocery shopping today and found a few bargains worth passing along to you all.

WINCO:

Lara bars in 3 flavors, Cherry Pie, Cashew Cookie and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough for $.98 each.

NORTH COAST CO-OP:

Ground Beef 80% Humboldt Grass fed  $2.59 per pound

Millennium, Kombucha tea $2.59

Bob's Coconut Flour (in bulk bin) $4.39 per pound

EUREKA NATURAL FOODS:

Diestel Ranch 99% lean ground turkey $3.99  Reg $4.69

Natural Sea Albacore tuna 6 oz. $2.19 each, reg. $3.49

Local greens, chard, kale, etc.  $1.29 a bunch

Hill Meat Co. boneless pork shoulder roast $2.99 per pound, reg. $4.69

Coconut Secret Organic Coconut Raw Aminos 8 oz. $4.69, reg. $6.49

Naked Coconut Water 11.2 oz. $1.49 

Bioron Arnica Pain relief Gel 1.5 oz, $5.79

Watch for a new recipe this week...it's really yummy!

Bargains of the Week

I did my grocery shopping and am happy to say I have some great bargains to pass along to you all this week.  It's been a while since I could really say that, so this makes me happy.  As always, please read the labels for yourself on these products. There are some things I may let slip that you may not want to include in your diet, so it's always a good idea to read labels.
My favorite find this week was the Kirkland Signature Marinara sauce, while technically not Paleo because it's processed.  It has an ingredient list that satisfies, and who doesn't have an occasional night when you need to make dinner fast!!  For me it was tonight, got home from shopping at 5:30, browned some grass fed ground beef while microwaving some spaghetti squash and withing 30 minutes had a full dinner on the table.  And I am happy to say, the sauce tasted great!  You can tell they used quality ingredients.  I usually like to buy local brands but my budget has been constraining me a bit lately and this will become a pantry staple for sure.  This way I don't have to wait for it to go on sale and the price is still cheaper than any sale price usually is anyway.  For those who are interested it's currently on an end cap and here is the ingredient list:  tomatoes, water, tomato concentrate, onions, garlic, basil, sea salt, extra virgin olive oil, oregano and citric acid.

GROCERY OUTLET:
Silk Coconut Milk (perishable, in original or vanilla):  $1.99 
So Delicious Mango or Raspberry Sorbet (this has a high sugar content, and is most definitely a treat) $1.99
North Coast Organic Applesauce with berries (24 oz.) $1.29

EUREKA NATURAL FOODS:

Native Forest Organic Coconut Milk (13.5 oz.) $1.89

(Their new sale starts tomorrow, so watch their website for sales).

 NORTH COAST CO-OP (sale prices thru Sept. 12th):

Humboldt Grassfed Ground beef $2.59 per pound 

Edward & Sons Organic Coconut flour $4.39 (16 oz.)

Santa Cruz Organic Apple Sauce 23 oz. $2.89

Green & Black's Organic Chocolate 3.5 oz. $2.49

Organic Kombucha Millennium (16 oz.) $2.59

COSTCO:

Kirkland Signature Fish oil $5.99 ($3.00 off till the 11th)

400 count

Kirkland Signature Enertic Coated Fish oil $12.29 ($3.00 off) 180 softgels

Kirkland Signature Marinara Sauce 3 pack $6.29

Orange Herb Chicken

This recipe was inspired by a recipe by Robert Irvine from Food Network, Roasted Chicken.

Orange Herb Chicken

2 teaspoons sea salt

5 large garlic cloves, crushed

2 tsp chopped fresh chives

1 teaspoon dried tarragon leaves

1 tsp dried thyme leaves

2 TBSP olive oil

1 (4 pound) whole chicken

2 whole oranges

baby carrots

In a bowl combine first 6 ingredients and rub all over the chicken.  Let marinate for an hour or two.  Remove from the refrigerator and let sit while your oven Preheats to 425 degrees.  Stuff the chicken with the chopped oranges and place in a baking pan breast side down for the most moist chicken.  Add any of the oranges that won't fit to the pan and throw a couple of handfuls of baby carrots around the chicken.   Pour a little chicken broth over to cover the carrots and to baste the chicken with while cooking.  Place chicken in preheated oven and roast 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue to cook chicken basting periodically.  Cook the chicken until done or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Don't forget to baste your chicken while it is cooking and if it starts to brown to quickly cover it loosely with some foil.   It may take longer or shorter depending on your oven and size of chicken.    Generally 15 minutes per pound of chicken.  Remove chicken when done and let rest for about 15-20 minutes before serving.  Serve with baby carrots and juice from chicken.  The baby carrots will be really tasty due to cooking in the juices from the chicken and oranges!

Chicken rubbed and stuffed with oranges.

 Chicken rubbed, stuffed and surrounded with carrots and oranges.

 Baked chicken and carrots, ready to eat!

 Sliced and plated chicken, baby carrots and oranges.

My little girl enjoying her chicken leg.  Mmmmm...yummy!