Recipes

Chicken Shawarma Pan

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This one-pan meal makes a fantastic batch cook dish and can be dressed a million different ways. I went vaguely Middle-Eastern (hence the shawarma) because what I really wanted was a huge sad bread chicken sandwich that day – but I wanted spicy, and I needed to use up some of the ubiquitous cucumber & tomato I swear just comes with the shopping basket where I live.

Gluten-free, paleo, Whole30

Chicken Shawarma Pan

Preheat your oven to roughly 425F. Prepare a baking sheet with lining.

Toss together:

1 package boneless skinless chicken breasts
3 Tbsp. your favorite oil
4 grated cloves garlic
1 Tbsp. paprika
2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 Tbsp. zaatar
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt & pepper

Scootch to one side of the pan. Add:

1 sweet potato, cut into 1/4 inch thick rounds

Brush with:

1-2 Tbsp. your favorite oil

Sprinkle:

2 tsp. sesame seeds
2 tsp. cumin
Salt & pepper

Add the lemon halves to the pan

Bake 40-45 mins or until the chicken is cooked and the sweet potato is soft and browned.

There are a number of ways to serve – my favorite combo was with a swirl of hummus on the bottom of a bowl, a side of roasted tomatoes, a whole wheat pita or tortilla, and the salad below.

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl:

2 small cucumbers, chopped
1/2 small red onion, diced
2 small tomatoes, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
Squeeze of the roasted lemon from the chicken
1 tsp. cumin
Salt & pepper
2 Tbsp. fresh dill, chopped
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped

Makes about 4 servings

Herbed Hummus Dip

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Mmmmm … hummus. This quick to whip together dip is a fantastic last-minute thing to bring to a party, and pairs well with pretty much anything you want to dip in it (I served with raw veggies & pretzels, but potato chips were also fantastic).

gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan

Herbed Hummus Dip

Prepared hummus
4 Tbsp. olive oil
Big hand parsley
Big hand mint
Juice of 1 lemon
1 green chili
1 tsp. ground cumin
Salt & pepper
Toasted pine nuts
Pomegranate molasses
Zaatar

Whiz together the herbs, oil, lemon juice, chili & cumin. Salt and pepper to taste.

Add the hummus to a small bowl. Swirl the herby oil over top. Add a swirl of pomegranate molasses. Sprinkle with the pine nuts. Dust with zaatar. Serve

Makes enough for a 6-person game night with a second dip

Brunch Yogurt 3 Ways

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Here are three super simple but impressive ways to serve yogurt to your guests as part of a brunch spread. All are at least gluten-free, paleo and (lacto ovo) vegetarian; and all can be made vegan.

gluten-free, paleo, vegetarian

Simple Peanut Butter Granola

1/4 c. date molasses
1/3 c. peanut butter
1 – 1.5 c. rolled oats
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
Pinch salt

Melt the date molasses and peanut butter together in a glass measuring cup or small pan. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir until all the oats have been incorporated.

Spread evenly over a baking sheet lined with a silpat or baking paper, making sure to leave some clumps.

Bake at 325 F for 20 minutes or so or until starting to brown. Let sit on the pan until cool. Transfer to a jar or bowl.

Citrus Curd

1 c. citrus juice (I used a combo of grapefruit, blood orange & lemon)
Zest of 1 of those fruits
1 whole egg
2 egg yolks
2 Tbsp. honey
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
Pinch salt

Bring the juice to a simmer in a small pan over medium-high heat. Simmer until liquid is reduced to 3/4 cup. Transfer to a glass cup to cool. Add zest.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg, yolks and honey.

Drizzle the cooled juice into the mixture in a steady stream while whisking.

Pour the eggy juice back into the pan over medium heat. Stir continuously until the mixture thickens to the texture of pudding.

Strain to remove any little bits of egg that cooked and transfer to a jar or bowl. Refrigerate to set.

Quick Berry Chia Jam

500g bag frozen mixed berries
1/4 c. chia seeds
2 Tbsp. orange juice
4 Tbsp. date molasses
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients. Sit on the counter to defrost for 3 hours or in the fridge overnight. Mash with a potato masher until desired chunkiness is achieved. Chill 20 – 30 minutes to set.

Roasted Citrus Galettes

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This is a super simple and beautiful way to serve up some late winter/Spring citrus fruits – and yes, you can eat the peels!

Makes a great brunch spread centerpiece- stay tuned next week for 3 quick and easy yogurt additions to serve alongside.

Gluten-free, paleo, vegetarian, vegan

Roasted Citrus Galettes

Grapefruits, blood oranges, clementines – whatever looks good at the grocery
Olive or neutral oil
Rosemary or thyme (preferably fresh, but work with what you have)
Salt
Date molasses or honey
Phyllo dough squares or toast or some other hand-to-mouth vehicle (gluten free if you need!)
Optional: goat cheese or vegan spreadable cheese

Preheat your oven to 350 F and prep a sheet pan with silpat or baking paper.

Scrub your citrus and slice into 1/4 inch thick rounds. Quarter the slices and arrange on the baking tray.

Sprinkle with herbs, oil, and a little salt.

Bake 25 – 30 minutes or until nicely browned and caramelized. In the last 5 minutes or so if cooking, drizzle a little honey or date molasses over top.

Bake your dough squares, toast your toast, or prep whatever eating vehicle you are using.

To serve, spread the base with cheese if you want and tip with a tangle of caramelized sweet and tangy and bitter all at once citrus.

Quick Korean-Style Bowl

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This bowl has it all: sweet, spicy, umami, crunch, shrimp – what more could you ask for? And it’s quick! Like 15 minutes, 1 mug & a bowl!

Gluten-free, pescatarian

Quick Korean-Style Bowl

Shrimp (I used half a pound or so small cooked shrimp, but uncooked would have been even better)
2 Tbsp. arrowroot powder or cornstarch
2 Tbsp. neutral oil
Two big hand fulls snap or snow peas
2 cups finely shredded carrots
2 green onions, sliced

For the sauce:

1 Tbsp. gochujang
2 Tbsp. hoisin sauce (or honey soy – something salty & sweet)
1 Tbsp. soy sauce (or coconut aminos)
1/2 inch fresh ginger, minced.
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. arrowroot powder or cornstarch
2 Tbsp. water

Heat your largest skillet over high. Add the oil to heat up.

While the oil is heating, toss the shrimp in the cornstarch.

Add to the pan, stir-frying until just beginning to brown.

Add the snap peas, stir-frying until warmed through.

Add the carrots, stir-frying until well distributed.

Add the sauce, stir-frying until the mixture looks homogeneous as possible and the sauce begins to thicken.

Add the green onions, give it a couple stirs, and serve.

Serves 2 for dinner, with or without 1 for lunch depending on whether this is all you eat

Vinegar Poached Chicken Bowl

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I first came across a version of this chicken on Instagram in relation to a sandwich, and it got the wheels turning.

What you end up with is a pile of tender, shreddable-if-you-look-at-it-crosswise chicken that pairs beautifully with roasted, nutty veggies and a rich sauce.

I can imagine this would also be fantastic as part of a chicken salad with grapes, pecans and extra rosemary. Or dill. Dill might be great here.

I served mine as part of a quinoa/rice bowl with some leftover cauliflower I’d batch roasted a few days before.

Gluten-free, paleo & Whole30 with a different bowl base

Vinegar Poached Chicken Bowl

4 chicken breasts
1c. red wine vinegar
1c. olive oil
Peel of half a lemon
2 sprigs rosemary
1 jalapeño
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. coriander seeds
6 cloves garlic, peeled
1 onion, peeled and quartered
Salt & pepper

For the bowl:

Quinoa & rice, cooked (optional)
1 Tbsp. mayo mixed with 1 tsp. rice vinegar and 2 tsp. minced rosemary
Roasted cauliflower or other veggies

Combine all the non-bowl ingredients in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring up to a boil, cover, lower the heat & simmer 1 hour or until the chicken is falling apart.

Cool chicken, pull out of the oil & vinegar, and shred. Place in the bowl with the other ingredients.

Serves 4

Combine all

Chicken with Raisin Oil

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This recipe is based on a show-stopper in a cookbook from one of my absolute favorite chefs in Miami.

This version incorporates chicken thighs and stovetop cooking – I don’t currently own a pan that can go in the oven; and the whole chickens looked kinda sketch at the store the day I shopped for this meal, so modifications it was!

If you can, check out Michael’s Genuine Food: Down-To-Earth Cooking for People Who Love To Eat by Chef Michael Schwartz. Where he excels, and what makes his Miami restaurant(s) so successful, is taking a few good ingredients, treating them with love and not much else, and turning them into something that sounds dead-easy but tastes special.

Michael’s Genuine (and later the pizza restaurant Harry’s) were two of our favorite go-tos while living in Miami and places we could visit often, get something we would never order (like chicken that sounds kinda boring on paper), and have it be an experience we talked about for weeks after.

This recipe takes the spirit and the general flavors of one of our ‘company is coming’ go-tos from that cookbook, and makes the technique more approachable for where we are currently and the tools we have to work with.

Note: What’s up with raisin oil? It’s delicious! This dish was the first we’d encountered it, and while it is definitely a delicate taste – it adds a little somethin’ to this dish that helps it stand out. Want more? This recipe from the NYT also helped when coming up with this (super-simplified) dish.

Gluten-free, paleo

Chicken with Raisin Oil

8 chicken thighs
1/3 cup raisins (mixed golden and black is my fav)
1/2 cup + 3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 rosemary sprig
4 sprigs lemon thyme (or regular)
Wine
Salt & pepper

First, make the raisin oil by simmering the raisins and rosemary with a Tablespoon of water in the 1/2 cup olive oil about :30 or until the raisins have plumped.

I left my heat up long enough to fry the rosemary leaves a bit for an added garnish.

Set aside.

For the chicken, heat your largest skillet over medium-high. Add 3 Tbsp. oil. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and arrange in a single layer in the pan skin side down. Salt & pepper liberally and sear until golden.

Flip, salt & pepper, and brown the other side.

Add the thyme sprigs and a few good glugs wine (dry white would be best but I only had some aging White Zinfandel). Cover, knock the heat back to low, and cook 15-20 minutes or until cooked through.

Make sure to check your chicken at the halfway point, baste, and make sure anything isn’t drying out. If it is, add a little extra wine or water.

If you’re inclined, this would be a great time to make a pan sauce with the raisin oil and/or a thickener. Despite the instructions being really clear on how to accomplish this feat in the cookbook, at this point in the evening while already branching out on my own with the cooking method (and having a glass or two of adult beverage under my belt), I didn’t want to mess with it.

So I served mine with a little raisin oil drizzled over top and it was delicious. I’ve made the pan sauce in the past and it was also delicious.

I have also found over the years that I like a hand full of fresh parsley over top (not pictured), and some times I hit the dish with a little lemon juice at the end of cooking for a bright little punch if I’m feeling saucy.

Garlic Smashed Sweet Potatoes

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This side dish is fantastic as-is, but would be even more magical if I’d managed to make it also crispy.

As it stands, the rounds are a touch fragile – but are still frickin delicious.

gluten-free, paleo, vegetarian

Garlic Smashed Sweet Potatoes

1-2 sweet potatoes
High smoke point oil
3 Tbsp. butter
4 cloves garlic
1 Tbsp. fresh parsley
2 tsp. red pepper flakes
Salt & pepper

First, preheat your oven to 200C/400F. Take the barest amount of oil and brush a foil-lined baking sheet to coat.

Slice your potatoes in 1/2 – 3/4 inch thick rounds. Brush with a little oil, and hit with salt and pepper. Bake 25-30 minutes or until fork tender.

While the potatoes are cooking, chop the parsley & garlic and melt the butter. Make a sauce by combining all ingredients.

When the potatoes can be smushed by a fork, lightly smash – you may need to gently place the potatoes back into their original shape, depending on how much extra room in the pan you have and how aggressive you are a masher. I had a few of the thinner pieces whose middles didn’t want to stay in the center – for those pieces, I just patted everything back into shape.

Once your potatoes are how you want them, pour the sauce over top and broil until golden and crispy (ideally), or, if you don’t have a broiler – bake about 15 more minutes to brown up.

Serves a bunch as a side

All-Purpose Parsley Sauce

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Parsley sauce?

I know it sounds weird and possibly boring, but this sauce is super quick to knock together and brings a little extra oomph to things like: roasted veggies, plain chicken, potatoes, anything in the bowl of carbs realm, or like toast.

It’s just delicious.

The picture below is of this sauce tossed with some chicken breasts I salted & peppered and roasted quickly, plus the Brussels sprouts/cauliflower/potato medley I batch cooked alongside.

Gluten-free, pescatarian, paleo

All-Purpose Parsley Sauce

Big double hand full fresh parsley (about a cup)
3-5 olives
2 tsp. anchovy paste
1/2 – 1 tsp. dry mustard powder
3 big cloves garlic
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 c. your favorite oil
2+ tsp. water

Whiz all ingredients together, adding water a teaspoon at a time until your desired consistency is reached.

Get to tossin’. Or slather on some toast. Or drizzle on some eggs. Or swirl into soup.

The world is your oyster. You do you.

Serves a bunch

One-Pan Honey Mustard Salmon

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Is there anything more satisfying than only dirtying one cooking implement for dinner while spending minimal time actually cooking?

Yes, but this is pretty dang rewarding too.

Especially if you’re a dork 🙂

This meal serves 2 with a little left over, comes together in under an hour, and can be dressed a bunch of different ways depending on what you have on hand.

For instance, you may notice some decidedly non-broccolini green stuff on my plate that isn’t in the recipe. That’s because I had a literal hand full of snow peas that needed using up, so I threw them in. Feel free to do the same, just note that if you have something like a carrot that takes forever to cook, you might want to add that in with the potatoes rather than the greens.

Also good to note: the sauce on this dish isn’t the overly sweet, sticky sauce I generally think of when I think ‘honey mustard’ (you know, like the radioactive yellow dressing from a ton of US restaurants that comes straight from Sysco central processing. Which I love in memory theory). This sauce is light and delicate with just a hint of sweet.

gluten-free, paleo, pescatarian

One-Pan Honey Mustard Salmon

Baby potatoes
Salmon
Broccolini
Oil, salt & pepper
2 large cloves garlic
2 tsp. grainy mustard
2 tsp. honey
1 Tbsp. butter

Preheat your oven to 200c (400f) and prep a baking sheet with foil.

Arrange your baby potatoes in a single layer in one third of the pan. Sprinkle with 2 tsp. of your favorite oil, salt & pepper and toss.

Bake 20 mins.

Add your broccolini to the other third of the pan, toss with 2 tsp. oil & salt and pepper.

Bake 10 minutes.

While that is baking, mince the garlic and add with the honey, mustard & butter to a heat-proof vessel. Zap until the butter is melted and stir.

Add the salmon meat side down to the middle, sprinkle with 1 tsp. oil + salt & pepper, slather in sauce, flip and repeat.

Sprinkle any remaining sauce over everything else.

Bake 5 mins, flip, and broil if you have the ability an additional 2-3 minutes to crisp that skin up a bit.

Viola.

Serves 2 for dinner with a little left over.