Yayyyyyyy! Guess what? I leave for Portland tomorrow! I’ve been to Portland twice now. Once for a trip with my best friend Laura and the second time for book tour. And I want to go back now! So I’m grabbing my bestie again and we are heading back out for a little girls trip! Last time we stayed in the city, but this time we are meeting up with our friend Kyra from Kyra’s Bake Shop in Lake Oswego to stay with her and explore all over the place. Obviously, we plan on eating our faces off. Whenever Portland is on the agenda, food is at the top of the to do list.
But we have way more planned than we did last time around. This time we are hiking a few times, wandering around a few towns, shopping, taking a body attack class, going out for some country bar dancing, and then going to a friend’s gigantic food event! It’s going to be so awesome! I’m going to eat so many cinnamon rolls at Kyra’s Bake Shop! Like, so many.
I’m just so pumped to get away and spend quality time with the bestest. AND THEN, a few days after I get back from Portland, I go straight to Palm Springs with my sister in law for more girl time. We are going to pool so hard, cocktail so hard, eat so hard, and then maybe bike around. Gotta get our exercise in somehow! If you have any favorite places to eat or visit in Portland or Palm Springs, please leave your recommendations below! Visiting places that readers recommend is my favorite!
Guess what, guys? We are getting close to the end of our CSA/Farmer’s Market inspired Wednesdays. We said we would do it through July and August so only two more recipes after these ones! I’m so glad Lexi invited me to do this because it’s really pushed me to try more ingredients and see what I can do to really enjoy them. I rarely ever eat salads, raw kale or beets. Because I think all taste like sh*t. But I proved myself wrong by making a salad that is absolutely delicious and beets that taste SO good. I could barely stop myself from eating them directly off the baking sheet! You seriously have to try this salad!
And Lexi and Cassy did not disappoint either! Lexi has made this Italian-style Eggplant Lasagna Rollatini, which is a delicious way to use up all of those eggplants and all of that fresh basil you have growing! And Cassy used her artistic skills to create this Asian-inspired chilled crab and cucumber bowl! The tangy dressing is delicious and the generous sprinkle of Furikake on top makes the dish! Enjoy a higher carbohydrate version with white rice or just opt for a bed entirely of shaved cucumbers. No matter what recipe you try from ours this week, you’ll be pleasantly surprised with my how many veggies you’re eating without even knowing it! Check out their recipes below!
Kale, Candied Bacon & Roasted Beet Salad
- Yield: 3-4 1x
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound bacon
- 3 tablespoons maple or coconut sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 9 beets (3 red, 3 golden, 3 chioggia), peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons ghee, melted
- 1 tablespoon garlic salt (I used Hepp’s Roasted Garlic Salt)
- 1 bundle kale, ribs removed and leaves thinly sliced (the thinner sliced, the better)
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
- 2–4 ounces herb goat cheese (optional)
For the dressing
- juice of 1 1/2 lemons
- zest of 1/2 lemon
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- pinch of salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and place a cooling rack on top and spray or grease with coconut oil. Place maple/coconut sugar and cinnamon in a dish and mix. Place strips of bacon in the sugar and completely coat then place on the cooling rack. Put in oven to bake for 20-25 minutes, until crispy. Keep an eye on it since oven temperatures can range. Once crispy, remove from oven and set aside.
- Turn oven temperature up to 400 degrees and line another baking sheet with foil. Brush each beet slice on both sides with melted ghee, place on baking sheet then sprinkle with garlic salt. Place in oven to bake for 15 minutes, flip to other side then bake for 15 more minutes.
- When the beets are almost done cooking, place thinly sliced kale in a large bowl. Place all ingredients for the dress in a jar and shake until completely combine. Pour dressing over kale and massage with your hands to completely coat the kale and help break it down.
- Chop bacon and top the salad with beets, bacon, almonds, and goat cheese!
____________
More Salads For Your Liking:
Fall Harvest Chopped Salad with Apple Maple Vinaigrette
________________
Click Here To Get All My PaleOMG Recipes Into Your Meal Planner With Real Plans!
I may be compensated through my affiliate links in this post, but all opinions are my own. This compensation helps with expenses to keep this blog up and running!
Hi Juli! I live 30 minutes outside of Portland and want to give you a little heads-up for your packing. We’re expecting a heat wave starting tomorrow, lasting until Monday. And I mean HEAT. WAVE. Like 101 on Saturday. We Pacific Northwesterners love our summers, but this is gonna be tough on us. Normally our “heat waves” mean anything above 80 😉 So much so that most of our houses don’t have A/C. So pack accordingly – like LOTS of shorts & such. As usual it should cool off at night. Because of course you never come to the PNW without a sweater…… {{sigh}} Have a great time!
I’m going to Portland tomorrow too (and from Denver as well)! I checked out your previous posts about the places you’ve eaten & will hopefully be trying out Tin Shed – looks fantastic! Hope you have a great trip – sounds like it’s going to be soo hot there this weekend!
it’s so bomb!!!!
Your husband isn’t your best friend?
lol no
Sounds like a fantastic trip. I’m heading to Portland in October and would love to know of any paleo restaurants and activities you recommend after your visit! Will definitely stop by the bakery! The recipes look great!
Hey Juli! For ice cream in Portland, you should definitely check out Fifty Licks. Just as tasty, fun, creative flavors, minus the crazy long wait like at Salt and Straw. Stump town coffee and Barista for yummy coffee. Have fun eating your way around Portland, best way to do it here. 🙂
i’ve heard of that! definitely want to try it!
Juli!! I was just reading the Eaton’s (the OLYMPIANS) blog and they use your recipes! How cool?! http://www.weareeaton.com/blog/2016/2/5/diet-in-a-day?rq=Healthy
They made your summer squash salad for dinner!
Hey Juli,
I’m across the bridge from Portland in Vancouver, WA. However, we love going to Olympia Provisions, they have delish lazer potatoes. They have 2 locations in Portland. Also, downtown Portland there is a food cart called Cultured Caveman. Hope you enjoy Portland!
Check out nom nom Paleo ‘s #nomnomeatsPDX for all the places she’s eaten + photos… Her insta is full of great food stops since they live part time in PDX. It’s my go to to find all the PDX gems.
Hey Juli! Portland is my home and holds a special place in my heart 🙂 Being gluten free – Kyra’s Bake Shop is one of my favorite! I love Lake Oswego but have always been used to everyone on the main street… but we found a HIDDEN GEM in Lake O a couple weeks ago! The restaurant is called Nicoletta’s Table and it’s in a random strip mall. Looks like NOTHING from the front, but once you walk in, it is GORGEOUS and it’s huge, with a beautiful patio out back! Let me know if you go… I was impressed! Also, if you want a fun workout, let me know… I’d love for you to visit ADAPT Training! It’s like a big playground 🙂
Hey Juli! The description for the Wilton cooling rack says it isn’t oven safe, and an employee at Bed Bath and Beyond told me the same thing when I was looking for a rack I liked. You don’t seem to have had any issues with it though, and I know you use it often. Do you keep it under a certain temp or have you been able to use it for everything without having problems?
nope, never had an issue with any of the racks i’ve used, including that one. but definitely find one that you are comfortable with using