I think I mentioned in a previous post that I am new to the whole pot roast thing… and traditionally I haven’t been a fan, but this week’s Slow Cooker Pot Roast from PaleOMG is just awesome.  Super tender meat combined with a slightly sweet, thick vegetable gravy makes this recipe a total win!

We also tried a few other new recipes that turned out fantastic including these Zucchini Fritter Muffin Cups also from PaleOMG and this Grilled Chipotle Pork Tenderloin with Fresh Cherry Salsa from Sweet Peas and Saffron (which I baked instead of grilling due to nasty weather this week) and a new  Paleo Thin Mints recipe from Lexi’s clean Kitchen.

The cookie dough for the Thin Mints didn’t behave well for cookie cutter use during my attempt, so instead I pretty much just made balls of dough and flattened them by hand on the cookie sheets.  I ended up with way more cookies than the recipe indicated it would yield, and I added some melted coconut oil to my chocolate chips to get a smoother coating of chocolate.  But the end result is awesome… these are crispy and dark, just like the real thing.

This coming weekend is Memorial weekend and we’re excited about driving out to Austin on Saturday to walk through the big PaleoFX convention.  I’m hoping to bring back some new food and lifestyle ideas to try and will share what we learn.  Stay tuned!

E.J. is out of town this weekend visit a cousin who’s recovering from surgery, so that leaves me in the kitchen alone… well except for Buddy who misses him and keeps putting bones and toys on my feet while I work.

But generally speaking when E.J. is gone, that’s an opportunity for me to try dishes that wouldn’t typically rate as his favorites, like waffles.  I wrote about the fantastic pancake recipe we’ve been using on Saturday mornings and that’s definitely E.J.’s preference, but there’s just something about the crispy waffle that really does it for me.  So today I decided to try out this Almond Butter Blueberry Waffle recipe from Ambitions Kitchen.

All I can say is Yum!  I made them just the same way I would have done a regular waffle in my Belgian iron, and the outside was crispy with a soft inside.  It completely satisfied the expectation… and it’s Paleo!!  I followed the recipe exactly (except for the part about 1/2 a waffle being a serving) and instead of regular honey or syrup on top, I drizzled this Orange Cinnamon Honey we picked up at Pike’s Market in Seattle.  It’s REALLY yummy, and complimented the blueberries and cinnamon in the waffles very well.

I’m stuffed from eating more than I should, but I’m happy and ready to start my day.  I’ve got lots of errands to run, and I’ve got plans to meet up with friends later tonight.

A few weeks ago, you saw my first attempt at a slow cooker pot roast, and yesterday was my 2nd try.  This time I tried the Balsamic Pot Roast recipe from Civilized Caveman Cooking and was very pleased with the results.  Because of my schedule, crock pot recipes tend to need to run a little longer than intended – mine went for close to 11 hours instead of the recommended 6-8, but the roast was very tender and had a nice flavor – not as sweet or vinegary as I had imagined it would, but rather a smooth, mild, pleasant tomato-y flavor.

I paired it with a mushroom and asparagus saute with halved cherry tomatoes, basil, garlic salt, onion powder, and the remainder of the goat cheese I had from the previous night’s meal.

E.J. gave this one 2 thumbs-up, so we can add it to our rotation of slow cooker options.