Easy Summer Appetizers - Quick Summer Party Recipes

Easy Paleo Recipes :

Here are some easy summer appetizers that are quick to prepare. Summer is a great time for entertaining at all kinds of events from 4th of July parties, family functions, graduations, to just relaxing and spending time with your friends. These quick and flavorful appetizers are perfect summer party recipes and will make all your get-togethers easy, delicious, and fun.

Easy Summer Appetizers - Quick Summer Party Recipes

Fruity Salsa Dip: Take one-half cup diced of each of the following and combine in a bowl: fresh or frozen (thawed and drained) peaches, jicama (peeled), celery, red onion, and tomatoes. Add fresh squeezed lemon juice to taste and toss again to combine. Allow to marinate in the refrigerator for an hour and serve with your favorite chips for dipping.

Bacon Shrimp Cocktail: In a bowl combine cooked, shelled shrimp (cut into chunks), some thinly sliced scallions, a couple of slices of crispy cooked bacon (crumbled), some sour cream (enough to moisten), some fresh squeezed lemon juice and mix well. Serve this flavorful summer appetizer chilled in prepared baked puff pastry shells with a slice of lemon on the side.

Olive Spread Stackers: Take some crispbread crackers and spread a layer of olive tapenade on each cracker then top with sliced fresh mozzarella cheese, a couple of roasted red pepper strips, and a sprinkling of fresh chopped basil.

Ham and Cheese Roll-Up Appetizers: Take a slice of deli ham and place a thin slice of Swiss Cheese on top of the ham. Spread the cheese with a combination of sour cream and spicy mustard and a sprinkling of dried or fresh dill. Then place a thin breadstick (your favorite flavor - plain, garlic, cheese, etc.) on top of the cheese near the edge and roll up tightly.

Creamy Potato Toppers: Take small red potatoes and cut into one-quarter inch thick slices. Steam until tender but not mushy, carefully remove from steamer, and place in ice water for a few minutes to stop the cooking process. Remove from water, pat dry, and allow to cool completely, being careful to keep each slice intact (refrigerate until ready to serve). In a bowl, combine some ricotta cheese with some sour cream, a little spicy mustard, chopped fresh chives, fresh grated lemon zest, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix until well combined and chill until ready to serve. Assemble this summer appetizer at serving time by spooning a mound of cheese mixture on top of each potato slice, sprinkle a little more chopped chives on top, and place on a serving plate.

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Red Potato Recipes - Easy Potato Recipes

Easy Paleo Recipes :

I love red potatoes because they are so versatile, not mention all the vitamins that go into your meal when you add the red potato as a side dish. The white potato itself, red skin or otherwise, boasts almost half the daily requirement of vitamin C and over 600 mg of potassium. One of the big questions when preparing potatoes is always the same "To peel or not to peel?" The choice is totally up to you, but if you eat potatoes with the skin on you are adding about 2 grams of fiber per serving. Mom would be so proud! Just remember to hold the potato under cool water while using a vegetable brush to clean the skin really well before cooking. Below are a few of my favorite red potato recipes and I have even added a couple of variations.

Red Potato Recipes - Easy Potato Recipes

Easy Steak Fries:
*preheat your oven to 350 degrees
*about 2-3 potatoes for each adult
*clean the skin or peel potatoes and pat dry
*cut each potato into 4 wedges
*place in a large bowl and drizzle generously with olive oil, salt and pepper
*toss to make sure all potatoes are coated well
*for easy clean up line a cookie sheet with parchment or wax paper
*place potatoes on paper-lined cookie sheet for about 20 minutes, then turn and cook an additional 15-20 minutes.
*Potatoes are done when they are firm to the touch and start to brown.
*Serve with ketchup or your favorite dip

(variation) instead of salt and pepper use fresh or ground rosemary

Yummy Mashed Potatoes
*In a 2 1/2 to 3 qt pot fill with enough water to cover the potatoes about 2 inches
*about 2-3 potatoes for each adult
*clean the skin or peel potatoes
*quarter potatoes and then cut each quarter in half (you should have chunks of potatoes)
*boil potatoes on medium-high until tender, then drain water (about 20 minutes)
*put potatoes back on a very low fire
*use a potato masher to smash the potatoes, then stir with a whisk, or fork or hand mixer
--FOR EVERY 6 POTATOES
*add about 1 teaspoon butter, and 1 tablespoon milk
*season with salt, pepper to taste and stir well

(variation) - add about 1 tablespoon sour cream for every 6 potatoes
(variation) - add about 1/8 cup cheese for every 6 potatoes-whatever kind you like, cheddar, american, colby...
(variation) - add about 1/2 clove garlic for every 6 potatoes and put the garlic in the pot when you first put the potatoes in

The possibilities are endless with red potato recipes and that is the good thing. There is very little stress. If you are in a hurry when trying these red potato recipes, just skip the skinning process. Give them a good scrub and start cooking. Keep them on-hand for a quick, nutritious meal anytime, day or night.

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Easy Dutch Oven Recipes - Getting Started Cooking With Your Dutch Oven

Easy Paleo Recipes :

Dutch Oven cooking is fun and easy. Dutch oven recipes are abundant and adapting them from your favorite home recipes is easy. With a little experience you'll find that it is fairly simple to cook with your Dutch oven. Here are some easy Dutch oven recipes to try:

Easy Dutch Oven Recipes - Getting Started Cooking With Your Dutch Oven

Easy Dutch Oven Mountain Man Hash

1 lb. Bacon or sausage

2 lbs frozen potatoes (shredded or southern style)

1 dozen eggs

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Cut bacon/sausage into smaller pieces (about 1"). Cook the bacon or sausage in the Dutch oven. Add potatoes, cover with lid with coals on top. Cook until potatoes are done, stirring occasionally. Mix eggs together in a bowl and pour on top of potatoes. Replace lid with coals on top and cook until eggs are done (shouldn't need a long time if the lid is hot). When eggs are done, sprinkle cheese on top, replace lid and bake until cheese is melted. Serve as is, or wrap spoonfuls in warmed flour tortillas to make breakfast burritos (provide salsa).

Easy Dutch Oven Taco Pie

1 ½ lbs. Ground beef

1 medium jar of taco sauce

6 large corn tortillas

8 oz shredded cheddar cheese

8 oz can of tomato sauce

Brown the ground beef and drain it. Mix the taco sauce and tomato sauce. Line the Dutch oven with tin foil and put 3 tortillas in the bottom. Put ½ of the ground beef on the tortillas and cover with ½ of the sauce. Put 3 more tortilla shells on top, and put the remaining ground beef and sauce on top of those tortillas. Sprinkle the cheese on top. Cover the Dutch oven, place a few coals on top, and bake until the cheese is melted. You could also add onions, olives, mushrooms for some variety.

Easy Dutch Oven Au Gratin Potatoes

8-10 potatoes, sliced thin

2-3 Tbsp. Melted butter or margarine

2-3 medium onions, sliced thin

15 oz can of cheese soup

¼ cup milk

½ cup cracker or bread crumbs

1 cup shredded cheese

Put a little oil in the bottom of the Dutch oven. Put a layer of potatoes in the bottom and brush with the melted butter. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Add a layer of sliced onions. Continue the layering with potatoes and onions as described until all have been used. Mix the soup with the milk and pour over the top. Sprinkle the top with the bread or cracker crumbs. Add any additional desired seasonings. Put Dutch oven over 6-8 briquets and 16-18 briquets on top. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove and sprinkle the top with the shredded cheese. Replace lid and let the cheese melt-shouldn't take long.

Easy Dutch Oven Cowboy Stew

4 potatoes, cut into 1 inch pieces

1 lb ground beef

1 medium onion, diced

1 can of corn

1 can of peas

1 can of stewed tomatoes

1 can of green beans

1 can of baked beans

1 can of tomato soup

Bay leaf

Brown ground beef and onions. Add all other ingredients (don't drain the cans). Add bay leaf and any other desired seasonings, such as salt and pepper. Cook until the potatoes are done.

Easy Dutch Oven Cinnamon Bread

4 cans of refrigerated tube biscuits

1 cup of brown sugar

1/2 cup butter or margarine

1 cup of sugar

4 tsp cinnamon

Cut each biscuit into 4 pieces. Mix the sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a zip-lock bag. Put the biscuit quarters in the bag and shake until they are all well-coated. Place the biscuit pieces in the bottom of the Dutch oven. Melt the butter and then pour over the biscuit quarters (you can do this with another pan, or you can use the inverted lid of the Dutch oven to melt the butter). Put 6-8 coals underneath Dutch oven and 14-15 on top. Bake for 30 minutes.

Each of these is a quick and easy Dutch oven recipe and will help you get started with Dutch oven cooking. Have fun!

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Paleo Dieting Made Easy

Easy Paleo Recipes :

The Paleo diet is a derivative from the word "Paleolithic", which was a certain time frame about 2.5 million years ago, but ended about 10,000 years ago. It is sometimes called the "ancestor diet", due in fact that the foods used in the recipes for Paleo foods were actually eaten during the paleolithic period long ago. Our ancestors were healthy as an ox and strong as a bear. At the same time they were incredibly lean. This is all, because of the diet they were on, because of their surroundings.

Paleo Dieting Made Easy

Pros And Cons of the Paleo Diet Cookbook

Pros:
Extreme shift in body change and overall metabolism. Look the Paleo diet will significantly change the way you eat, and shift your overall metabolism. By adding raw foods, and no additives your stomach will adapt within a couple days and your metabolism will boost, causing weight loss in the process. Also at the same time if you coordinate with exercise/weightlifting, you will see a great change in the tone of your muscles as they will be come stronger and leaner.

Cons:
- These foods aren't found at your local Grocery store, with that in mind you will have to go out to a farmers market, but hey whats so bad about that? In the process you will meet knew people and you will learn to shop for real natural foods.
- You might take some getting used to with the foods, because of the lack of carbs in the diet, you will feel hungry for a couple days, but once your body adjusts you will be off and running!

Cookbook Extras:
Inside each cookbooks our recipes for good healthy snacks and desserts as well! A basic outline includes:

* Eggs/Omelet's
* Chicken
* Meat/Poultry
* Fish/Seafood's
* Soups
* Salads/Veggies
* Snacks
* Desserts

Each category has it's own unique recipes, and along with that, there are very easy to follow instructions for how to prepare them! Learn more about these cookbooks here! http://www.squidoo.com/paleo-diet-cookbook

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Easy BBQ Ribs Recipe

Easy Paleo Recipes :

The summer is a perfect BBQ time across the US. BBQ is a great crowd pleaser and is sure to bring the family together. Here is an easy BBQ ribs recipe and some quick tips to make sure your BBQ experience is safe and fun.

Easy BBQ Ribs Recipe

First, to keep things safe:

1. Defrost meat before cooking so you get even cooking and do it in the fridge.

2. Marinate food in the refrigerator and don't reuse the marinade unless you boil it first

3. Do not serve cooked meat in the same plate you had the raw meat (unless you clean it before re-using it)

4. Don't bring out the meat until you are ready to cook to avoid leaving it a prolonged time in hot temperatures before cooking.

Make sure you follow the safety tips and you will have more fun during the summer cookouts. My summer is going great. BBQ's are a big reason for that. One of my favorite dishes is an easy BBQ Ribs recipe. To make great ribs easily we need to follow these tips:

1. Marinade the meat or rub in the seasonings at least 1 hr before cooking more is better but if it's done too long, unless it's a tough cut, you could overpower the meat. Anywhere from one to six hours is good enough.

2. Grill ribs bone side down until the bones start to separate from the meat without turning. This is a key point that helps produce tender ribs.

3. Brush BBQ sauce or any sauce that has sugar only at the tail end of cooking.

4. Allow the ribs to sit for 10 minutes before eating or cutting this helps the meat stay juicy.

5. Use tongs to handle the meat forks will pierce the meat and allow the juices to escape. Piercing the meat reduces the flavor and moisture of the meat.

You can try this tips this weekend or the next time you grill ribs and you will see and taste the difference. In order to do that you need this simple recipe that's great tasting:

6 pounds pork spareribs

1 tblsp red pepper flakes

2 tblsp Adobo or Seasoned Salt

1 tsp fresh ground black pepper ( use less to taste if using adobo)

A barbecue sauce you like

Combine red pepper flakes, Adobo and black pepper. Rub mixture all over ribs; cover ribs and marinate in refrigerator at least 2 hours. Grill ribs over low heat, bone side down until the meat separates from the bone, approximately 1 hour. Apply your favorite barbecue sauce and cook for another 15 to 30 minutes turning the ribs frequently to avoid burning the sauce. Serves 6 to 8.

There you have it an easy BBQ ribs recipe and some tips to make sure you wow your family and guests.

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Easy Quinoa Breakfast Recipes

Easy Paleo Recipes :

There are plenty of easy quinoa breakfast recipes that you can find online but I'll only share 3 of my favorites. Quinoa is so versatile that you can practically add anything to it without overpowering the other ingredients.

Easy Quinoa Breakfast Recipes

One of my favorite breakfast recipes is the nutty cinnamon quinoa recipe. You will need a cup of low fat milk or skim milk, a cup of water, a cup of quinoa (well-rinsed), 2 cups fresh blueberries or strawberries, ½ teaspoon finely ground cinnamon, 1/3 cup chopped pecans (or any nut that you prefer) and 4 teaspoons organic nectar.

This is so easy to make, all you have to do is boil the milk, water and quinoa in a saucepan over high heat and then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until most the liquid is absorbed. Turn off the heat and set it aside for 5 minutes while covered. Mix in cinnamon and blueberries and top with the chopped nuts. Drizzle with nectar and serve.

Another easy quinoa breakfast recipe that I like is the hot quinoa breakfast cereal. You will only need a cup of cooked quinoa, thinly sliced apples, seedless raisins, dash of cinnamon, milk and honey. Mix all the dry ingredients together and serve with milk. You can add honey or low-calorie sugar to taste.

The last easy quinoa breakfast recipe that I found is the peanut butter quinoa recipe. For the ingredients, you need a cup of quinoa, 2 to 3 tablespoons of butter, 2 cinnamon sticks, 2 tablespoons of sugar, 1 cup of milk, roasted pecans, raisins or dried cranberries and any fruits of your choice (bananas, strawberries, peaches).

Boil the quinoa with milk, sugar, cinnamon sticks and peanut butter. Reduce the heat to low until the milk is absorbed. Set it aside and cover it for 5 minutes. Add all the ingredients and serve. Now that's easy right?

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The Dangers of Soy and Some Great Soy Alternatives

Easy Paleo Recipes :

In the vast sea of processed foods, soy is found as an ingredient in many foods. Are we better off with it or without it? And is soy really so dangerous?

The Dangers of Soy and Some Great Soy Alternatives

Soy has been around for centuries and centuries. It is known as shoyu in Japan, and later adapted to the word "soy" that we currently use.

Before it was a source of food, the soy crop was revered in Asia and used to fix nitrogen in the soil when rotating crops.

Soy was not eaten until the Chou Dynasty, when fermenting techniques were discovered. It was made into foods like miso, natto, and soy sauce. Historically, the Chinese did not eat a lot of soy that was unfermented. Even today, unfermented soy is not a large mainstay of the Asian diet, and is often eaten with meat and fish broths, which helps to counteract the harmful effects of soy on the body.

After the early 1900s, soy became a major crop in the United States. However, it did not become a source of food until the 1920s. Growing soy was especially important after World War I and during the Great Dustbowl. It was used to help fix the soil in order to reestablish huge crops in the Mid-East areas of the United States (remember... it has awesome nitrogen-fixing properties). From 1932-1933 Henry Ford spent about ,250,000.00 on soybean research. It was used to make paint and oil with for his car company, Ford Motor Company. Ford even hired chemists to make silk out of soy, called Azlon (although Dupont came along and took over the market with their version of "faux-silk," called polyester).

From there, soy took off as a food ingredient, first being used to make ice cream and non-dairy whipped cream. Now, it is prevalent in everything from chocolate to processed grain-cereals. In fact, soy is found in many processed foods, both Organic and Conventional. It is well-known as the main ingredient in infant formulas and protein drinks.

But Hey, What's the Problem With Soy?

A lot is wrong with soy. Although this "miracle-bean" is touted as a factor in longevity and heart-disease prevention, it comes with many more risks than so-called benefits. The dangers of soy are many:

Phytic Acid in Soy

Soy contains Phytic Acid. Phytic Acid in soy cannot be neutralized (like it can in some grains, seeds and nuts) by being soaked in an acidic medium. Phytic acid is also not neutralized when soy is cooked or during its processing. Phytic Acid is an enzyme-inhibitor. And what it does is block mineral absorption in the digestive tract. That means when eating soy, you block your body's ability to absorb calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron and copper. A mineral deficiency contributes to a variety of health problems, not limited to growth problems in children, immune development and thyroid disease. Only fermentation will neutralize Phytic Acid in soy.

Goitrogens

Okay, I bet you may not have heard of this one. And the risk with ingesting too many goitrogens (which are plentiful in soy), is it suppresses the thyroid. This can lead to weight gain, fatigue, inability to concentrate, decreased focus, feeling cold all the time, and so much more. Don't take your thyroid gland for granted, because once you start to have problems here, the road to recovery can be long and agonizing (I know).

Phytoestrogens

Back in the olden days, phytoestrogens were believed to be a woman's BFF (Best Friend Forever). Soy was the super-duper magic elixir that could help a woman with her hormones. Phytoestrogens mimic estrogen. Independent research (NOT sponsored by the soy industry) shows that high estrogen is related to breast cancer, infertility and low libido in women. Add soy to the diet and you get even more of that.

How Very Convenient, But The Dangers of Soy Don't Stop There...

Manufacturing soy is a huge ordeal; made up of lots of processes. Here is what happens when one of the most common food ingredients, soy protein isolate is made:

• After the bulk of a soy crop is solvent-extracted with hexane...
• Soy protein isolate is taken as a byproduct from the manufacturing of soybean oil.
• After being subjected to series of alkaline and acidic washes, it is spray-dried to become a powder (which ends up in "diet" protein powders and baby formula).
• During the spray-drying process, carcinogenic nitrates are formed.
• MSG is generally added to TVP(made via a high-temperature process), which gives it a "meaty" flavor and masks the bean taste. TVP is used as "fake meat" in many health food products.
• Also present in soy (even after the high temperature process), is trypsin inhibitor, which makes it necessary for farm animals that consume soy-based products to be given lysine supplements. Humans who eat soy can also become deficient in lysine, but we generally don't hear about supplementation for that.

Other Side Effects of Soy (Wait! You Mean There's More?!)

Yes.

GMO Soy

What exactly is GMO soy?

77% of the soy grown worldwide is known as a Genetically Modified Organism. In the United States, 93% of the soy grown is considered GMO. This means that the soy seed has been genetically modified (in most cases) to be able to withstand huge amounts of the glyphosate or glufosinate herbicides. When you ingest soy that is NOT organic, you ingest these herbicides.

Glyphosate (used in Monsanto's Roundup) has been associated with a host of deformities in lab animals, and of course, large doses of it will cause serious injury or death to an adult. Initial exposure can lead to rashes, nausea, sore throat, difficulty breathing, headaches, lethargy and nosebleeds. Long term human studies have shown more increased risks of the cancer non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, miscarriages, and attention deficit disorder with this herbicide.

Glufosinatekills plants by inhibiting the enzyme glutamine synthetase (try saying that 5 times really quicly), an enzyme also found in animals including humans. In lab animals, particularly dogs, glufosinate caused heart and circulatory failure (within two weeks of ingesting). Other lab animals had higher rates of miscarriages, premature delivery, convulsions, diarrhea, and aggressiveness.

Please understand that A LOT of these two herbicides can be sprayed on GMO soy to discourage weed growth. GMO soy will contain traces of these herbicides. It cannot be washed off. IF you are going to consume soy, make sure you consume organic soy.

One more problem with GMO soy is that the soy has been genetically modified and long term studies on the effects of this on humans has not been studied extensively. The future implications on our society could be serious.

Last, But Not Least...

Soy allergies are highly common (along with milk, wheat, egg and nut allergies).

Soy allergies symptoms include:

According to the Mayo Clinic, "Soy allergies can include:

• Tingling in the mouth
• Hives, itching or itchy, scaly skin (eczema)
• Swelling of the lips, face, tongue and throat, or other parts of the body
• Wheezing, runny nose or trouble breathing
• Abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea or vomiting
• Redness of the skin (flushing)"

The Mayo Clinic also states:

"Soy allergy in infants often begins with the introduction of a soy-based formula. Soy allergy may develop when a child is switched to a soy-based formula after an allergic reaction to a milk-based formula." source: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/soy-allergy/DS00970/DSECTION=symptoms

So...IF you are not going to (or cannot) breastfeed your baby and he or she must have formula, please take a look at these natural infant formulas at:

http://www.westonaprice.org/childrens-health/recipes-for-homemade-baby-formula

Now...there are soy alternatives that you can use in your diet, whether you are eating a Vegan diet, a Paleo diet or anywhere in between.

Here's How You Avoid Soy and What You Can Eat Instead of Soy:

Check all labels. Soy is in many, many processed foods. Manufacturers will generally state on the label that the food product contains soy, but the best way to avoid it is to cook from scratch. It is known as "soy lecithin," "soya," "hydrolyzed soy protein," "soy protein isolate" or "soy." It can even be used as a "natural preservative."

Alternate milk sources:

Cow's Milk

Goat's Milk

Almond Milk

Rice Milk

Coconut Milk

Hemp Milk

All of these "milks" are guaranteed to be at the health food store and are becoming very common at regular grocery stores, as well. You can even make your own milks with nothing more than a blender and a coffee filter. Homemade coconut milk and almond milk are very nutritious. If you are interested in making these milks (it's pretty simple to do), you can "Google" it.

Alternative Protein Sources:

Whey protein

Meat (of any kind)

Eggs (super-easy to make)

Spirulina

Pea (sold as drink powders)

Rice (sold as drink powders)

Dairy Products

I thrive on a diet with adequate meat, and sometimes I'll cook up some extra hamburger (or something else) ahead of time for those times when I really, really need some protein. I add it to salads, to mix into a veggie stir-fry, or whatever else. I also like to keep some hardboiled eggs in the fridge for an "on-the-go" snack. Of course, protein powders are handy too...

Fermented Soy Products. Now, these soy-containing foods are okay to eat. In fact, not only are they okay to eat, but because they are fermented (and contain LOTS of beneficial lactobacilli), fermented soy products can be a very important part of your diet. Here's what they are:

Tamari Sauce

Natto

Fermented Bean Paste

Tempeh

Miso

One of my favorite things to eat (especially first thing in the morning), is chicken broth with miso paste mixed in. I add ½ teaspoon of miso paste to one cup of chicken broth. Miso can be quite salty tasting (so watch out!); add it a little bit at a time to taste. You can start out slowly...

Snacks. There quite a few snacks out there that contain soy. Some of these are made purely of soy (or have LOTS of it in there). If you are avoiding soy entirely, watch out for chocolate chips or chocolate (soy lecithin is usually in chocolate). Haha, chocolate is the trickiest one of all, I think...Here's where I have found soy-free chocolate:

SomeWhole Foods brand organic chocolate bars

Enjoy Life makes chocolate without soy in it (but still look at the labels)

Here are some other soy-free snacks:

Cheese

Veggies and Fruits

Homemade roasted(or dehydrated nuts)

Most Larabars

Enjoy Life products

Homemade organic popcorn

So, the next time you venture into the grocery store or to the Farmer's Market, know that you have healthy, quick, and nutritious alternatives to soy.

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