When we went into book writing hiatus at the end of 2014, we approached 2015 with the top priority of spending as much time together as a family as possible. We wanted to enjoy new opportunities and experiences, set out on new adventures, and make more time for rest and relaxation. And reflecting back on the year, I am impressed with all that we did, and will forever cherish the amazing memories that were created in 2015!
We also found great inspiration in the kitchen this year, collaborated with some insanely talented bloggers to share their guest recipes, and gave a bit of insight into some of the health goals that we tackled in our sixth year of our paleo journey.
As always, we were touched to have you along for the ride – sharing your comments and words of support, cooking our recipes and posting pictures of your re-creations, and passing along our recipes and resources to your friends and family. Thank you for contributing to our year and for sharing in our Paleo journey!
Here is a look back at the our top 15 posts of 2015 that you all most loved, read, and shared:
15. Paleo Gave us Our Lives Back
Inspired by a weekend getaway to a water park and theme park, I shared my shock and awe at how significantly Paleo impacted our abilities to be active, experience things I never thought possible, wear a bathing suit in public, and so much more! Read all about it HERE.
14. Tessemae’s Honey Mustard Chicken & Sweet Apple Cabbage
A long-time can’t live without condiment in our house, Tessemae’s Honey Mustard, got us dreaming of honey mustard chicken perfected. But things got real in the kitchen when our honey mustard chicken cravings came out in one-pot creation form, with the amazing pairing of apple and cabbage to accompany the main dish. Find the RECIPE HERE!
13. Down South Paleo Book Review
We hate to play book release favorites, but it is really hard not to when you write the foreword to a book you genuinely love because it includes Paleo remakes of southern favorites, like Mama’s Fried Chicken, Grandma’s Grain-Free Biscuits and Sausage Gravy, Lemon Pepper Fried Okra, Chocolate Chip Georgia Pecan Pie, Bourbon Street Bread Pudding and Caramel Sauce, New Orleans’ Café Au Lait, Texas Grilled Rib Eyes, and the ah-maze-ing Paleo Chicken Chimichangas.
When we told you why this book won our ‘BEST RELEASE OF 2015’ award, we also shared the recipe for Chicken Fried Steak with Gravy, which you can find HERE.
12. Copycat Sweet Kale Salad Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing
When we completed this recipe remake, I took a bite of the dish, stood back and fell silent in awe of the salad magic that had been created. After one bite you will see what I mean.
This salad is a cult classic amongst Costco members, and for good reason – it is packed with a hefty dose of leafy greens, sweet cranberries, and the perfect tang and zest of a poppy seed dressing. And now with our Paleo version, all can enjoy this dish at home in a fully healthy way! Find the recipe HERE.
11. The WORST Meal We’ve Had in A LONG Time AND FAVORITE AFFORDABLE RECIPE IDEAS!
Every Sunday we share a look back at our week, events, announcements, and exclusive discounts, along with a themed recipe and resource guide (you can get it sent to your inbox by subscribing here).
For the week of April 19 we shared a whoops moment when Finn was mistakenly gluten-bombed while we were eating out, along with a round-up of our most affordable recipes. You can find all the details and recipes HERE.
10. Full of Amazing, The ‘Less Lasagna: dairy-less, grain-less, tomato-less
No joke, I almost cried when I ate this recipe. It immediately brought back fond memories of family meals gathered around my grandmother’s table, and so perfectly satisfied a long-time craving of mine.
Matt killed it with this creation; the dairy-less, grain-less, tomato-less LASAGNA! Find the RECIPE HERE.
9. Guest Post: Breakfast Stacks, Hold the Grain
We collaborate with guest bloggers to share a guest post on the site every week. It is a great opportunity for us to share our favorite bloggers who are providing us with inspiration, and blogs we want to flag as a site you should definitely check out.
When Hold the Grain came on the site with Breakfast Stacks, you drooled right along with us as this dream creation of sweet potato, avocado, sausage, and egg was born! Find the RECIPE HERE.
8. Tutorial Thursday: Feeding Hungry Children
Our boys, so very far from being the littles ones they once were, are growing, eating machines – and keeping them well-fueled with nourishing foods has been a big topic on the site.
In 2015 we created our Tutorial Thursday series, and focused one of our installments on ‘how to feed hungry active kids with real food’. You all loved the tips and tools we had to offer! Find all the details HERE.
7. The Cheesecake Factory Recipe Recreation Round-Up with our Recipe for Pasta Da Vinci
When we partnered with our favorite bloggers on a P.F. Chang’s Recipe Recreation Round Up in 2013, you all loved it! So in 2015 we selected another restaurant favorite, and partnered up with even more bloggers to round up a robust line-up of recipes (cough, 13 so insanely delicious Paleo remakes) from The Cheesecake Factory. Find all the delicious HERE.
6. My Best New Gelatin Friend — Vital Proteins!
In 2015 we discovered the almighty, and all-favorite supplement, Vital Proteins. And we shouted our love from the mountain tops, literally – sharing all the delicious ways we were incorporating this convenient and high-quality source of collagen/gelatin into our diet.
We shared many examples on how we were mixing Vital Proteins into our drinks and foods, but also created a new recipe featuring our new gelatin bestie. Find all the details on why we love this collagen/gelatin supplement and RECIPE for Matcha Latte Collagen Bites HERE.
5. ADHD Impulse Control: From Frustration to Fantastic
The year also brought a huge win for Cole!
In May Cole came on an episode of The Paleo View to share on the lifestyle changes we had been making to help manage his ADHD symptoms. It was the first time in a long time we shared on Cole’s ADHD, and we were very honest about the reality we had faced when diet simply wasn’t enough.
In early November we were back with an update and an unexpected surprise – Cole was doing better than great in school, he was doing fantastic! It was such a huge moment for the family, and you can read all about it HERE.
4. Guest Post: Pancake Muffins on the Go, The Nourishing Home
Another big success in the weekly guest blogger posts – Pancake Muffins!
The Nourishing Home shared this brilliant creation for brunch flavors, meets weekday hustle, and everyone agreed that this recipe was genius! Find the RECIPE HERE.
3. Is Your Paleo Challenge Justifying Disordered Eating
While I had shared about my struggle with disordered eating behaviors before, this was the first time I had talked very openly and honestly about the patterns I had seen with my triggers, even after going Paleo.
More specifically, I shared about the “challenge phenomenon” and how closely it tied into my restrict/binge cycle. You can read all about my thoughts on when Paleo challenges go wrong HERE.
2. Guest Post: Twice Baked Macaroni, Paleo Gone Sassy
The popularity of this guest post came as no surprise at all! When we first shared the recipe on social media, people went absolutely crazy for it instantly, and the post has since been a huge hit on the site. We’ve since made this recipe half-a-dozen times ourselves, it’s THAT good.
Former mac & cheese lover or not, this recipe will quickly become a household favorite after one go with this dish. It so perfectly hits the nail on the head with this Paleo remake, and is true comfort food at its finest! Find the RECIPE HERE.
1. I am a MTHFR with Hashimoto’s, Celiac, and SigAD after Cholecystectomy
And lastly, our most popular post of 2015, was shared in February after I was diagnosed with compound heterozygous MTHFR and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, in addition to my already known Celiac disease and SIgAD.
I shared about what this diagnosis meant in regards to my overall health, how I was feeling, and my plans for managing my symptoms. Good news: I’ve continued to manage my health through diet and lifestyle this year with what could be medically defined as great success!
We continue to receive many comments on this post, many of which are from folks who are in similar situations who have offered their support and health journey shares as well. It is always so rewarding to open up about my health journey, only to be met with a community of support and people to connect with.
Read all about my diagnosis, and the good and bad it brought, HERE.
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What a year! So many milestones, memories, and continued growth along our Paleo journey, not to mention all those delicious eats.
Thank you again for joining us on this journey. We are looking forward to sharing another amazing year with you all – [kombucha] cheers to 2016!
