lemon strawberry tart: paleo kitchen adventures

lemon strawberry tart

ingredients for the crust

• 

  from the oven

  3/4c coconut flour

• 1/2c melted butter
• 2 delicious, chubby locally produced eggs
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp lemon zest

method for the crust

whisk the butter, eggs, honey and lemon zest together.

sift the coconut flour into a large bowl. add salt.

add wet mixture to dry mixture until fully incorporated.

press into a well greased dish (there should be enough dough for a 9 inch pie pan).

bake in a 350 degree oven for 5 minutes. set aside to cool.

ingredients for lemon filling

• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 tbsp lemon zest
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 cup melted butter

method for lemon filling

whisk ingredients together in a bowl.

pour into cooled crust.

bake in 375 degree oven for 15 minutes.

garnish with strawberries, allow to cool. refrigerate long enough to allow the filling to fully set.

eat nomnomnomnomnom!

 

sunday salad: raisin apricot coleslaw

 

raisin apricot coleslaw

coleslaw ingredients

• 3c shredded cabbage
• 1.5c shredded carrot
• 1c raisins
• 1c chopped dried apricots
• 1 red onion thinly sliced
• coleslaw dressing: paleo mayo (recipe below) + goat yoghurt

paleo mayo ingredients

• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 1/2c light olive oil
• 1/2c walnut oil
• 1tsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
• fine sea salt and ground pepper to taste
• 1tsp chopped oregano
• 1tsp chopped thyme
• 1tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2tsp celery seed
• 1/2tsp cumin

method for mayo

mix the yolk and dijon in a medium sized bowl. whisk in the oils, making sure to add the oil s_l_o_w_l_y, allowing an emulsion to form.

add remaining ingredients, adjust amounts to taste.

method for coleslaw

shred the cabbage in a food processor. then shred the carrots. as a first timer to coleslaw, i shredded a medium sized head of cabbage and had more than twice as much as what i needed. hmmmm.

combine cabbage, carrot, raisins, apricots and onion in a bowl. toss to mix well.

mix 1c mayo with 1/2c of yogurt (or so…). add to cabbage mixture, toss well to full incorporate.

enjoy. this is delicious.

raw fruit cake: paleo continues to zing my life

raw fruit cake

ingredients

• dates – medjools would be best but i had some small dates on hand. i used about 10 (medjools make me drool!)
• 1/2c shredded coconut
• 1 – 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
• 1 medium banana
• fresh pineapple
• fresh raspberries
• ground cinnamon
• ground cardamom

method

slice the banana and line the bottom and side of a small dish … i used a 5 inch square glass dish.

place dates and shredded coconut in a food processor. process until it becomes paste-like, adding dates as needed to achieve consistency.

add melted coconut oil to the paste and process until mixed.

cover the sliced banana with about 2/3rds of the paste. make sure you thoroughly fill the gaps between the slices and firm the paste in with the back of a spoon.

layer the fruit. first the pineapple slices, then the raspberries.

lightly dust the fruit with cardamom and cinnamon.

cover the fruit with the remaining paste.

refrigerate overnight.

loosen the cake and turn out. (i had trouble with this and ended up slicing the cake in the dish to serve. next time i shall grease the glassware with coconut oil).

yummmmm!

 

 

 

 

upcoming kettlebell skills clinics: may and june

well, it is the time of year when many formal indoor fitness activities give way to living life BIG in the great outdoors. just as it should be.

it is also the time of year when i scale back my Kettlebell Skills Clinics. so, if you don’t jump on one of these, you might not have another opportunity before fall to find out just how fantastic kettlebells are as a body transformative tool. truly.

here is what folks say about kettlebell training:

in Kettlebell Class i feel the strongest i’ve ever felt, like i can move mountains…and take on the world…one swing at a time. it’s the single best exercise class i’ve ever experienced.

i would describe my relationship with kettlebells and training as “a challenging path of confidence, stamina, and perseverance; character building towards complete strength, elegance and gracefulness”.

you might describe your experience with Kettlebell Training differently.  but first, you’d have to be Kettlebell Training!

Kettlebell Skills Clinic

friday may 25th at 12:00pm

and

saturday june 9th at 12:30pm

if neither of these dates fits for you, get in touch and set up a private clinic.

register by calling 894-8943 or emailing thewholeway@wendychappell.com

book review: kettlebells for women – workouts for your strong, sculpted & sexy body by lauren brooks

i’ve been following the work of lauren brooks of on the edge fitness for quite a while. i think i first started watching some of her kettlebell demo videos about 4 years ago, followed along as she performed some new baby chloe workouts and have watched her gain skill, momentum, confidence and strength.

about 4 months ago i ordered her kettlebell lightening dvd and pre-ordered this, her first book.

the dvd did not disappoint (i’ll post a review of it in the not so distant future) and i anticipated the release and arrival of the book.

lauren has years of experience and loads of qualifications in the health and fitness field. she has produced a number of kettlebell dvd’s, including a three volume series, the ultimate body sculpt and conditioning with kettlebells, and baby bells, a dvd of kettlebell training for pregnancy.

so, what’s to love about the book? lots!

•  a short but sufficient overview of kettlebells – their history, the benefits of using them, how to know which kettlebells to buy
• a well laid out 12 week kettlebell training program, beginning at foundation movements and fat loss, progressing to strength and fat burning, and culminating with powerhouse strength and conditioning. each 4 week level includes a level-specific warm up and five workouts, each sweetened with a metabolic conditioning tabata
• pages upon pages of movement skills with pictures and clear, concise explanations, useful tips and cautions.
• warm up, joint mobility and cool down movements

the book is meant for all levels of fitness. women new to kettlebell training will find lauren’s progressions and explanations reassuring, lacking intimidation. intermediate and/or advanced kettlebell users will be able to craft a fun, diverse training program from lauren’s clear charts.

so, want to advance your training with kettlebells? want to sculpt your strong and sexy body? lauren brooks can take you there.

but, if you are new to kettlebell training, great photos and clear explanations cannot replace a certified and experienced kettlebell coach. learning to use kettlebells safely and efficiently requires inspired coaching and skilled feedback/correction. and, while lauren’s background is RKC (Russian Kettlebell Certification), there are excellent coaches with top notch certs other than RKC.

this book is a fine distillation of lauren’s expertise. i’m so glad she put it together.

idiosyncratically, the only thing i didn’t like about this book was its physical size. i go no where without my current read, and this book was not a convenient tuck into my purse.

interested in working out in a way which will create fast, functional change in your body composition? kettlebell training. get some!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

this is a nicely instructive, well illustrated

upcoming kettlebell skills clinic

have you wondered if kettlebell training is right for you?

because, honestly, it isn’t for everyone.

not that the vast majority of people wouldn’t benefit from kettlebell training. surely they could, and would.

but this style of working out — moving body, moving weight with intensity and mindfulness, being fully present in the movement, pushing through and beyond personal boundaries –  is not where everyone wants to be with their functional fitness.

so, whether you’re ready to jump into this amazing means of changing your life or whether you’re simply curious if it is for you, a Kettlebell Skills Clinic will teach you the basic movement skills and give you a no obligation way of making a decision. bring a partner or friend.

Monday April 23rd 6pm – 7:30pm

2nd Floor, 306 University Avenue

complimentary

please pre-register by calling wendy at 894-8943 or emailing her at thewholeway@wendychappell.com

if you’re still not beyond the wondering stage, you might want to read these words by someone a lot like you. while already in her 40′s,  Tracy Reifkind, lost 120 pounds and changed her life by swinging a kettlebell:

Tracy - before & after kettlebells came into her life

 

The kettlebell can help you build strength and endurance, improve flexibility, and promote weight loss. It’s an all-in-one, multifunctional, multitasking ball of wonder. There is simply no other single exercise method or tool that can change your body as completely or as quickly as the kettlebell.

post training apricot-almond treats

apricot-almond treats

ingredients

• 1.5c organic dried apricot
• .5c raw almonds, toasted
• 2tbsp shredded coconut, toasted
• 1tbsp coconut oil, melted
• pinch of coarse sea salt
• 2oz 85% cacao chocolate, melted (optional)

method

place apricots, toasted almonds, 1/2 the toasted coconut, coconut oil and salt in a processor and pulse until finely ground.

line an 8 x 8 pan with parchment paper. allow the paper to extend far enough to use it to lift the treats out at the end.

press the mixture into the pan, drizzle with melted chocolate and sprinkle with remaining toasted coconut.

refrigerate until set (about 30 minutes).

share with sweaty kettlebellers and all other amazing people.

imam bayildi: paleoslave goes solo

i was away this weekend passed and had to charge paleoslave with lunch preps for the week. here’s one of the recipes he prepared, a turkish dish said to have been so delicious when served to the imam that he swooned (the imam fainted is the name of the dish). very yummy.

not a very flattering picture of a dish very flattering to the taste buds

imam bayildi

ingredients:

• 2 eggplants
• 5tbsp olive oil
• 1 lrg onion, finely chopped
• 2 lrg garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 x 14oz cans chopped tomatoes
• 3tbsp dates, chopped
• 3tbsp parsley, finely chopped
• zest of half a lemon
• 2tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2tsp cinnamon
• 1/2tsp ground cumin
• pinch of cayenne
• salt & pepper

method

cut each eggplant in half lengthwise. scoop out the flesh, leaving a 1/4 inch shell all around.

finely chop the eggplant flesh, place in a colander, sprinkle with salt and let drain for 30 minutes. rinse and pat dry.

heat 3 tbsp of the olive oil in a large skillet. add onions and cook on medium high heat until softened. add garlic and cook an additional 2 minutes, stirring.

add tomatoes, eggplant flesh, dates, parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, cinnamon, cumin, and cayenne to the pan. season with salt and pepper to taste. simmer for 20 minutes, stirring on occasion, until the mixture has thickened.

spoon the mixture into the eggplant shells, mounding slightly. place the shells in an ovenproof dish and add the remaining olive oil.

cover with foil. roast in a 350 degree oven for 45 – 50 minutes. until shells are tender and filling is hot.

serve hot or cool and chill until served – the one pictured above was consumed for lunch in my studio today. i am blessed with good fortune, good paleoslave, and good food.

spiced beef salad with avocado lime dressing

spiced beef salad with avocado lime dressing

ingredients

• 1lb ground beef
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1tsp ground cumin
• 1tsp ground cilantro
• 1tsp paprika
• 1/4tsp hot chili powder
• 1/4c fresh cilantro, chopped

for dressing

• 1 avocado
• juice of 1 lime
• 3tbsp olive oil
• 3tbsp water
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/3c fresh cilantro, chopped
• salt & pepper to taste

method

place ground beef, onion and garlic is a large saucepan, cook over medium heat until onions are soft and the meat is almost done.

add spices, salt and pepper to the meat mixture. cook through and add cilantro.

place all dressing ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend together.

prep plate with lettuce, tomato slices and olives. top with ground been mixture and dressing.

mmmmmm

 

reminder: there is no kettlebell class on saturday march 17th. see you all next week. keep your lips off the blarney stones.