Japchae- The Paleo Edition

I love glass noodles, either in sweet potato or mung bean form. One of my favorite Thai places in town, Bhan Thai, makes a Pad Thai but with glass noodles instead. It's one of my most favorite dishes of all time. So I was determined this weekend to concoct my own Paleo version of a classic Japanese dish, Japchae. It wasn't hard at all. Took me maybe 30 minutes to complete. It makes a TON of food though, FYI. I'll be eating it for days. If anyone would like to come over and help me, please do!

Japchae
1/2 package Japchae noodles (about 6 oz)
4 oz finely sliced sirloin (I used precut Pho beef)
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup sliced red bell pepper
1 cup sliced onions
1/2 c sliced Chinese eggplant
1 egg, whisked
2 Tbsp olive oil- divided


Marinade
1 tsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp coconut aminos
1 tsp vinegar (I used rice vinegar but that's not specifically Paleo. Substitute if desired)
1 tsp sesame oil


Sauce mixture
1/4 c coconut aminos
1 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp sesame oil

what the egg should look like!

1 tsp srirachi chili sauce

1 tsp minced garlic

salt and pepper to taste

1. Mix beef and marinade together and marinate for 30 minutes or so.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large saucepan on medium.

3. Pour egg into pan like an omelet. Cook until lightly brown. Slice finely and set aside.
4. Add additional tablespoon of oil to pan and heat on medium high.
5. Add vegetables and cook 5-6 minutes until softened. Remove from pan.
6. Add beef to pan and fry until thoroughly cooked (about 6-7 minutes).
7. Combine sauce ingredients in a small bowl and add to saucepan with beef. Reduce until slightly thickened, 2-3 minutes.
8. Add vegetables and egg back into saucepan. Toss to coat. Garnish with sesame seeds, cilantro, or green onion. Serve hot.

Chicken in a Bacon-Cream Sauce

Is there anything better than bacon? I say no. Just give me ALL the bacon! This gluten free chicken recipe is high fat, low carb and awesome! I loved it, even the leftovers. I'm not a huge leftover fan but this was great the next day. I paired it with some spinach and a couple of Trader Joe's broccoli-cauliflower patties. Yum!

Chicken with Bacon-Cream Sauce

For the chicken

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast- sliced
2 T grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup tapioca or arrowroot starch
1 egg
Fry oil (any kind you'd like. I used olive oil because that's all I had in the house!)
salt and pepper, to taste

For the sauce

3-4 slices of bacon, thick cut
1/2 cup half n half
2 T sour cream
2 T grated parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper, to taste


1. Combine Parmesan, tapioca starch, and salt and pepper in a shallow baking dish. Slice chicken breast into strips (I find this easier when the breast is slightly frozen)

2. Dip each strip first in egg and then in Parmesan mixture. Fry in oil till lightly brown and thoroughly cooked inside. Drain on paper towel. Once cool, chop into small pieces and set aside.

3. Drain oil off pan. Fry bacon strip in same pan.

4. In excess bacon fat, whisk in half n half until bubbly.

5. Add in sour cream, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and salt and pepper. Stir until slightly thickened. Add in chopped bacon and stir to combine.

6. Top chicken strips with bacon-cream sauce. Serve immediately.

Low Carb Ketogenic Cornbread and Chili

Fall is in the air and you know what that means, right?! It's time for chili! So here's two new recipes for you. Modified by me but the original recipes came from HERE and HERE if you're interested. I've been dealing with a weight loss plateau for about 2 weeks now so this week, I've concentrated on significantly lowering my carbohydrate macros by half. I try to stay under 60 grams a day. Doesn't always happen, but I'm working on it. And I've lost 2.5 lbs in 4 days, so that's not bad at all!

Stay tuned this weekend to my Instagram page (@frugalnfit). I'll take you budget grocery shopping again. We'll even hit Whole Foods and take a look at some of their new "lower prices"! I'll also be introducing a few new Paleo approved foods (well, new to me. You may have tried them already).

Ketogenic Approved 30 Minute Chili
(Serves 8)

1/2 large eggplant, diced (about 3 cups)

1 large onion, minced
1 large green pepper, diced
1 T minced garlic
1 T chili powder
1 T cumin
1 tsp cayenne (omit if you don't want it too spicy!)
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes (I used the one with green chilis in it too)
1 lb ground beef
1 lb chorizo
Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Chop all veggies and garlic to size.
2. Brown beef and chorizo in large saucepan
3. Add veggies to meat and saute till tender
4. Add spices and tomatoes to mixture. (I needed to add about 1/2 cup of water too but that's optional. Just depends how thick you like your chili!)
5. Simmer for at least 20 minutes. Top with sour cream and cheese, if desired!

This recipe freezes well and makes a bunch! It's a great meal prep menu item as it will keep in the refrigerator for 5 days.

Keto "Corn"bread
(makes 6 large muffins)

1 C Almond Flour (I use Trader Joe's Almond Meal)
1 T Coconut Flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 eggs, beaten
2 T heavy cream (or I used sour cream instead since I was saving the last of my cream for coffee! LOL)
2 T water
1 tsp Splenda or honey (I omit this every time and it comes out just fine!)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray muffin tin with cooking spray or use muffin liners.
2. Mix dry ingredients together.
3. Add wet ingredients and stir to combine. Fill muffin tins till 2/3 full.
4. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. These are great toasted in the morning with some jam!

Almond-Crusted Pork Chops

I grew up with a Mennonite recipe called Oatmeal Crusted Pork Chops and Applesauce. And a dad who always referenced Bobby Brady’s impression of Humphrey Bogart when my mom would make it (*rolls eyes*). But that’s a story for another day.

Here’s a Paleo spin-off of this quintessentially comfort food. Easy to make and easy on the budget too. I usually make them with boneless pork chops just because I don’t like eat around bones but you can use either. Bone-in pork chops are decidedly less expensive.

Almond Crusted Pork Chops

1 cup Almond Meal

1 egg, whisked

1 tsp garlic powder (or garlic salt)

1 tsp ground pepper

1 tsp Italian seasoning

4 Pork Chops (any variety that you prefer)

1 cup frying oil (I used olive oil as that’s all I had on hand)

1. In large skillet, heat oil on medium-high heat.
2. Combine almond meal and spices in one plate. Whisk egg in another.
3. Dip pork chops first in egg and then in almond mixture. Place in fry pan and cook until no longer pink in center and golden brown, about 6-8 minutes each side.
4. Serve hot with applesauce on the side (Although, as you can see, I did not serve them with applesauce! LOL)

Mexican Food

I love these spinach enchiladas that can be found at a local Mexican restaurant called The Loop here in town. They use fresh spinach and it doesn't have mushrooms in it (I hate mushrooms), which is rare in a spinach enchilada. Topped with a white wine creamy sauce, I could eat them at least once a week. So I experimented this morning with a grain-free version, since the original ones are wrapped in a corn tortilla.

I don't have a probably with dairy. It doesn't really affect me, personally. But if you're not so keen, there are easy substitutions for the sour cream and cheese. Actually, The Loop's don't have cheese on them. I added that :) So just take it off if that suits you! Green Valley Organic has a lactose free sour cream or use Kite Hill's plain yogurt. That would work just fine.

Spinach Enchiladas

6 tortilla shells (I used Siete Foods Almond Flour Tortillas)
8 oz fresh spinach
1/2 large onion, finely sliced
1 T olive oil
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup sour cream
1 t salt
1 T chicken bouillon (or substitute the water for bone broth)
1/4 c water
1 T minced garlic
                                                1/4 c shredded cheddar cheese

1. In a large skillet, heat olive oil. Add onions, garlic, and salt, fry until golden brown. Add spinach and saute until wilted. Remove from pan.
2. Add white wine to pan and reduce for 2-3 minutes. Add sour cream, bouillon, and water to wine. Cook until slightly thickened.
3. Heat tortillas until bendable. Fill with 3 T of spinach filling. Roll and place in oven-proof pan
4. Pour white wine sauce on top of enchiladas. Top with cheese and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until cheese and melted and browned.

Top with cilantro, diced tomatoes, more sour cream, and/or salsa. Serve immediately.

A full year

Wow! It's been over a year since I blogged anything. Time to get back at it! I've started an Instagram account to go along with this blog. It can be found HERE at @frugalnfit. I hope you'll join me both here and on Instagram!

On May 15th, 2017, I started my weight loss journey hardcore. I've tried for years to get the motivation to lose weight. Weight that I've carried since hitting puberty. I'd start something, lose around 10-15 lbs and then lose motivation. But this time has felt different. I kind of just woke up one day and decided enough was enough. I was done carrying this weight around anymore! So I cleaned up my diet, going pretty much Paleo. I'm not super strict about it but the three things I've completely eliminated from my diet are processed foods, gluten, and refined sugars. I haven't had any of those things in 103 days. I also joined a gym across the street from my house that I can walk to. And in 103 days, I've lost almost 40 lbs. I've also completely eliminated my migraines and greatly reduced my PCOS symptoms.

And I feel great! I'm so much more active and loving where life has me right now. I'm hiking and enjoying what Colorado has to offer. I've started pickle ball classes with my mom and am trying paddleboarding this week for the first time. I hope to start fencing classes next month. I'd also love to take a kick-boxing class. My resting heart rate is down over 30 bpm and my blood pressure is averaging a good 10 points lower as well (though I've never had problems with high blood pressure).

My overall goal is to lose another 50 lbs. That would put me squarely in the middle of my ideal weight range for my height. Yes, I was almost 100 lbs overweight. That's depressing when you think about it. Especially since I'm just 5'3'' tall. I was straining a size 18W. Now I'm comfortably in a petite 12-14. And if I can do it, so can you. I'm not doing anything miraculous. It's just consistency and determination. I work out 5-6x per week for about an hour. I try to stay under 1400 calories per day. Especially since I'm a librarian who sits at a desk 40 hours a week. I burn nothing ;)

This blog's goal has always been to show how eating right doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg. But if I'm honest, I wasn't very good at following through with the healthy eating. Well, that has changed. I'm a firm advocate that what we eat impacts our quality of life in ways we cannot even imagine. No, it's not a cure-all. We still need modern medicine. I'll never be one of those who believes we can cure all cancers just by "living off the land" or some such nonsense. But I do believe certain modern diseases were brought on by our changing diet. By the preservatives we continually add to all of our food. By refining everything. By pumping things full of sugar and sodium. We need to take a close look at what we're putting in our bodies, people. And as a society, we need to stand up and say "enough is enough".

Ok, off my soapbox. Here's a new recipe for you. I designed it myself. And it was fabulous. You could easily modify it to be completely Paleo (omit the mozzarella and substitute zoodles) or Vegan (again, substitute the cheeses and bread with olive oil instead of egg).

Almond Breaded Eggplant Parmesan

1 large eggplant, sliced thinly
1 cup almond meal
1 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
1 T dried oregano
1 T dried basil
1 tsp garlic powder
2 eggs, whisked
6 oz fresh sliced mozzarella
1 cup marinara (see recipe below or subsitute any desired)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheet with parchment or spray lightly with cooking spray (I love Trader Joe's coconut oil spray!)
2. Mix almond meal, parmesan cheese, and spices together
3. Dip sliced eggplant first into egg and then into almond meal mixture, coating both sides evenly. Arrange on baking sheet.
4. Bake for 12 minutes, flipping halfway, or until lightly browned on both sides. Top with sliced mozzarella and bake another 2-3 minutes, until cheese is melted. Arrange on plate and top with marinara sauce. Serve with pasta (I used Ancient Harvest's gluten free penne) or zoodles.

Homemade Marinara Sauce

2 lbs roma tomatoes, diced
1 large can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes,
2 heaping T tomato paste
2 tsp salt
1 T dried oregano
1 T dried basil
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 cup carrots, peeled and shredded
1 large onion, finely diced
1/2 cup red wine (I used Trader Joe's Shiraz)
2 T olive oil

1. Heat olive oil in large saucepan on medium-high heat.
2. Saute onions and garlic in oil till browned and tender. Add red wine and reduce for 3 minutes.
3. Add rest of ingredients to pan. Simmer on low heat for 4 hours or until desired consistency. Add water, 1/2 cup at a time, if sauce becomes too thick.
4. If you like a smoother sauce, you can use an immersion blender to smooth it out. I, however, enjoy a chunkier marinara. You could also add diced eggplant or meat of your choice.

The Everyday

I do a lot of experimenting with new recipes. Pinterest is an all-time favorite of mine. I'm on it multiple times a week. Even when I was in over my head last year, up to my ears in school and work, I always had time for Pinterest. But there are several recipes I come back to time and again. These are the recipes I've perfected over the years or have been family favorites for decades. These are the "comfort food" recipes in my life! I hope they inspire creativity for you! These recipes are easy to make, hard to screw up, and fairly budget conscious. If you try them, let me know what you think! I'm always curious to know what others think of my recipes and opinions! What are some of your favorites?

Paglio e Fieno: This is an old family recipe. My grandmother's cousin runs a restaurant in Connecticut that serves this "family style". The picture above is my gluten free/kinda paleo version of it using zoodles. I do love my spiralizer! I also usually substitute ham for the prosciutto, as it's cheaper. This recipe is similar: Straw and Hay Pasta


Schezuan Green Beans: A grocery blog here in town posted this years ago as one of their favorite family dinners. We've been hooked ever since too! Extremely easy to modify to gluten free and/or Paleo by using gluten free soy sauce or coconut aminos. The original recipe comes from Cook's Illustrated, a recipe website that you have to subscribe to to access but someone else has posted it HERE

Halal Chicken and Rice: This is a fairly new favorite that I originally had with my brother, Jeremy, on a trip to NYC. It's a street cart food there and has since grown to be one of my family's all-time favorites (actually, currently my mother is addicted to it. We've had it 3-4 times in the last month). I don't have one single recipe for this. It's pieced together from several different ones with my own tweaks but I've already blogged about it so the recipe can be found HERE.

Swedish Meatballs: My mom has been making these since I was little. They're also easy to recreate gluten free. Just substitute gluten free breadcrumbs (we like Aleia's brand best) and thicken the sauce with tapioca. And while traditionally swedish meatballs are served over egg noodles, I grew up with them over rice. Because, well, my mom is Chinese. What do you expect?! The recipe can be found HERE. 

Oatmeal Pork Chops: Yet another easily made gluten free meal. I couldn't find an exact recipe that is the same that we make but this ONE is similar. We usually pan fry them though, not bake them. Baking would be healthier though :). We just use gluten free oats. Bob's Red Mill oats are a good option. Serve them with applesauce and you've got one great meal!