Stultz - Real Food Dinners for Two: Healthy Paleo Recipes at Home

Real Food Dinners for Two

Healthy Paleo Recipes at Home

Written & Photographed by

Courtney Stultz

of LPHJ Kitchen

www.lphjkitchen.com

Copyright 2015 Courtney Stultz

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical without prior consent from the publisher.

ISNB-13: 978-1511938341

This book is for educational purposes. The author of this cookbook is not responsible in any manner whatsoever for any adverse effects arising directly or indirectly as a result of the information provided in this book.

Recipe and cover photos by author, Courtney Stultz.

Contents

Dedication

To my most willing taste tester: my husband, Caleb and

to my most honest taste testers: my son, Lane and my daughter, Harper.

Acknowledgments

First off, I must thank God for giving me the opportunity for writing this book. There are many times when I question why I must go through these struggles with my health but I am often reminded of how great of a blessing it is to live healthier and help others. His love and blessings are constantly surrounding me.

My husband is my greatest supporter. He has been by my side for various medical procedures and visits. He has willingly eaten burned, mushy or just plain nasty foods with a smile. He helps me wash dishes... lots and lots of dishes. Most of all, he loves me and is my #1 fan. We may not have signed up for the way this life is turning out but we are sticking it out together! I am forever grateful for his love and support.

My inspiration comes from two little blessings, Lane and Harper. I can always count on them to be completely honest - brutally honest. I never dreamed that they would be looking for gluten free labels or always question whether or not I can "have" something they are eating. They are thoughtful and inquisitive but they are so loving. They know exactly when I need a smile, a hug or a comment like "Mom, these cookies are AWESOME!". They are my greatest accomplishment and my reason for living.

I also must thank our family and friends. They all have made great sacrifices for my dietary needs and I am always extremely grateful for that. I thank all of them for trying my recipes, reviewing this book, being concerned about us and most of all, being supportive of me. They will never know how much they are appreciated!

Last but not least, thank YOU so much for purchasing this book and supporting my blog. I hope you enjoy all of it! As always, comments and suggestions are welcome. Best of luck in your journey through life!

Introduction

Do you have kids that make it hard to enjoy a date night? Are you newlyweds or a couple on a small budget? Is it just you and a roommate to cook dinner for? Are you wanting to make sure you are staying on track with a healthy lifestyle? Whatever your reasoning, having delicious meals at home can save time, money and make sure your dietary needs are met.

My husband and I definitely fit these descriptions and that's why I created this book. I know how important it is to stay on track financially, physically and emotionally. In 2013, I was diagnosed with severe food sensitivities, mainly gluten, egg, dairy and soy. This diagnosis completely rocked our world. Currently, I have to carefully prepare my own food to avoid any cross contamination and cannot risk the chance of a small setback due to eating out. However, I really love having a date night with my husband.

Our first date occurred when we were just teenagers. He took me to a popular Tex-Mex restaurant and ordered enchiladas. I ordered chicken strips.... I know, chicken strips at a Mexican restaurant! Some of our most popular dates included my favorite, Italian and his favorite, Chinese. I would say at least 90% of the time, we ended our date with our favorite frozen custard. Honestly, I think that custard had more calories in one small cup than our dinners combined!

Now that we have two rambunctious children, date nights are much harder. We love spending time with our children so we rarely get time away from them. However, on Fridays, my husband and I have "date night" in the dining room, while the kids enjoy their dinner in the kitchen. It's just a little separation but we still get to hear those giggles and silly conversations. You just have to do what works for you! Just because you have a family, or you are short on spending money or your lifestyle is complicated, doesn't mean you have to sacrifice quality time with your significant other. I think date night or just alone time with your loved one is incredibly important.

Don't worry, this book isn't just restricted to date nights. The recipes you will find in this book are great for anyone and any situation. You can easily double the ingredients in these recipes to feed four, or even more! You can make these recipes with a friend, a parent or a child.

What I wanted for this book was to provide you with delicious, healthy and simple recipes that you can prepare and enjoy at home. No matter what your situation, you can have quality meals for two in the comfort of your own kitchen! So grab your significant other, a loved one or a friend, some utensils and prepare a delicious, healthy meal for each other without ever leaving home!

Eating Clean

If you ask five people what clean eating means, chances are you'll likely get five different answers. Each and every one of us may have a different outlook on what it means to live healthy. For me, clean eating is not a diet, it's a lifestyle. Clean eating is to eat the freshest, most minimally processed foods.

There are a wide variety of diets, lifestyles, etc relating to foods you should eat. Paleo eating has become widely popular and with good reason : it involves eating foods as they were originally consumed. However, people also feel it can be very restrictive. Gluten-free eating is also popular. For me, I am required to stay clear of gluten for my health. That's not the case with everyone. My family has found that eliminating gluten from their diets (for my sake) has resulted in positive outcomes. Again, not everyone will have the same results. No matter what your dietary needs are, eating clean in some sense can be beneficial.

This book is not designed to promote or encourage any specific diet. All of the recipes here were made gluten free but you can easily substitute wheat products if you wish. My goal with this book is to help you find clean and healthy alternatives to popular dishes. The recipes in this book are all Paleo friendly, but I've provided substitution options for each recipe if you follow a different lifestyle.

If you are new to eating clean, here's a few suggestions for foods to choose and foods to avoid:

Foods to Choose:

Fresh fruits and vegetables (organic when possible)

Quality, grass-fed meats

Quality, pastured poultry and eggs

Wild-caught fish

Raw nuts and seeds

Non-GMO foods (corn, potatoes, apples, etc)

Natural sweeteners (honey, maple syrup)

Foods to Avoid:

Anything that has been genetically modified (look for Non-GMO foods)

Packaged or processed foods (cheeses, pantry snack items, etc)

Foods with unrecognizable ingredients

Foods with refined sugars or sweeteners (cane sugar, artificial sweeteners, etc)

Don't get bogged down with restrictive requirements. Start with baby steps! If it's easier for you to start eating organic foods rather than completely giving up processed foods, start there. If it's easier for you to read labels and avoid preservatives, artificial sweeteners, etc., start there.