Recipes

Caramelized Squash with Pepita Pesto

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This was a big hit at a potluck – the pepita pesto was addictive, and I’m sorry to have only made the one squash — there was enough pesto for two, and enough demand for more.

Gluten-free, vegetarian, paleo-ish


Caramelized Squash with Pepita Pesto

For the squash

1 butternut squash – peeled and cut into roughly 1-inch chunks
1 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. smoked paprika
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. Kosher salt
2 tsp. black pepper
2 Tbsp. oil of choice

Preheat your oven to 375 and line a baking sheet with foil. Prep your squash if not done already, and combine the rest of the ingredients in a small bowl. Pour over the squash and toss to combine. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the squash is soft and starts to brown.

Meanwhile, make your pesto.

For the pesto

1/2 cup raw pepitas
1 hand full arugula
4 cloves garlic
Juice of 1 lime
Big pinch Kosher salt
Few cracks black pepper
4 glugs olive or avocado oil

Blend all ingredients in the bowl of your food processor. If you find the pesto is too thick, add a little more oil.

Toss the squash with the pesto to serve.

As written, this recipe would make enough for 2 dinner portion sides – maybe 3; if you’re bringing somewhere, consider doubling the squash. 

Walking Taco Meatballs

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Okay. So these aren’t paleo, gluten-free or even pretending to be healthy. But they’re delicious. 


Walking Taco Meatballs

1 lb. ground turkey
2 Tbsp. fresh chunky salsa
1 Tbsp. chili lime seasoning (or a mix of chili, cumin, salt & lime zest)
2 tsp. cumin
Big pinch Kosher salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1/3 c. thinly sliced scallions
3/4 small bag (about 1/3 c.) crushed Doritos
1-2 Tbsp. cooking fat

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and form into ping pong sized meatballs.

Brown in fat in a large skillet until cooked through.

Serve over mixed roasted veggies (I served mine with pan-sautéed Cubano peppers and some leftover roasted broccoli and carrots) with a spoon or so extra salsa, a sprinkle of extra scallion, and a few leftover broken Doritos.

Serves 2 for dinner + 1 for lunch.

Paleo Creamed Spinach

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This recipe is decadent tasting yet healthy. Makes a perfect side to some bacon-wrapped chicken.

Gluten-free, Paleo


Paleo Creamed Spinach

10-ounce bag frozen chopped spinach

1/2 – 3/4 cup your preferred milk (I used an almond/cashew blend – be careful to use original unsweetened!)

1/4 cup caramelized onions

2 Tbsp. grass fed butter

1 – 2 Tbsp. arrowroot powder (or if you don’t have it: cornstarch)

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

Kosher salt & black pepper

Make a slurry out of the milk and arrowroot powder like you would cornstarch & milk. Chop the onions.

In a large pan over medium heat, bring the slurry to simmer. Whisk in the butter. When the mixture is thickened a bit, add the Spinach and onions. Add the nutmeg and hit with a big pinch salt + a few cracks pepper.

Sautée, stirring frequently, until the spinach is warmed through and creamy but not soupy.

Serves 2 for dinner as a side 

Simple Tuna & Grape Lunch

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I had forgotten how quick, inexpensive and versatile a simple can of tuna was until I found myself without a good lunch protein and with zero desire to leave the house. Cue pantry staples FTW.

Gluten-free, Paleo


Simple Tuna & Grape Lunch

1 4-oz can Tuna
1 stalk celery
1/2 cup grapes, sliced
1/5 cup pecans, chopped
1/4 cup avocado oil mayo
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1-2 Tbsp fermented hot sauce
Big pinch Kosher salt
Few cracks black pepper
Plantain chips or something else for scooping

Combine in a small bowl.

Serves 2 for lunch

Paleo Buffalo Chicken Salad

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This recipe is easy, flavorful, and addictive. And, when served with something to scoop with like plantain chips or extra celery, it’s even fun to eat. 

For a really cool way to shred the chicken (i.e. with an electric mixer), check out the reference recipe in the link. Genius! 

Note: This chicken is spicy. 

Gluten-free, Paleo 


Paleo Buffalo Chicken Salad

Based on Crockpot Buffalo Chicken by Civilized Caveman

2.5 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 sweet yellow onion
2 Tbsp. garlic powder
2 Tbsp. onion powder
2 big pinches Kosher salt
2 tsp. black pepper
2 Tbsp. butter
6 oz. hot sauce (Frank’s or Louisiana)
3-4 ribs celery
4 Tbsp. ranch dressing (I used Tessamae’s)
2 Tbsp. aioli

Halve and thinly slice the onion. Spread out on the bottom of your slow cooker. Add the chicken in as close to one layer as possible. Add the spices, butter, salt, pepper & hot sauce.

Cook on low 6-8 hours. Let cool and shred.

When your chicken is done, add 10-12 ounces to a large bowl. Dice the celery and add. Add the ranch & aioli and stir to combine. Taste and season as necessary.

Chill.

Serve with plantain chips or more celery for dipping.

Note: You will have a ton of chicken leftover. This chicken is great with garlic mashed cauliflower, roasted broccoli, and pretty much everywhere else buffalo chicken is good – which is everywhere. 

Thai-Influenced Chicken Omelette

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I was going to call this dish ‘laaaaadies niiiight! eggs’ since I had to feed myself for dinner last night and wanted an omelet – but not – but that was too long.

I do not like omelettes. Frittatas I can do; I love tamagoyaki, but to me French-style omelettes just taste like wet dog smells and gross me out. They also generally for some reason make my stomach hurt on the rare occasion I get it into my head I want one.

So, for dinner I took inspiration from the Japanese drunk dish – okonomiyaki. Okonomiyaki is generally made with cabbage and egg and some other stuff and is delicious and pretty much all things good in the world.

Gluten-free, paleo, Whole30 if you source it right


Thai-Influenced Chicken Omelette

3 eggs
4 ounces chicken breast
1 cubano pepper
2 tsp. sesame oil
2 c. shredded green cabbage
2 Tbsp. fish sauce
1/2 Tbsp. butter or ghee
Juice of 1 lime
Sriracha to taste

Chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces and slice the pepper thinly.

In a large skillet, heat the sesame oil. Add the chicken and pepper and sautee until just browned.

Add the cabbage and butter and sautee until the cabbage is softened and browning in spots.

Beat the eggs together with the fish sauce and lime juice. Spread the cabbage mixture out over the bottom of the pan in as even a layer as possible. Pour the egg over. Let sit until the eggs are mostly set.

Sriracha to taste.

Here, if you’re really skilled and awesome – flip that sucker over and cook the other side. I am less awesome, so ended up breaking my eggs up and kind of scrambling them from this point. They were no less delicious.

Serves 1 for dinner

Paleo Hawaiian Pizza Casserole

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This dish is light, feels like comfort food, and packs a nice meaty punch. Plus it tastes great as leftovers

Gluten-free, Paleo


Paleo Hawaiian Pizza Casserole

Spaghetti squash
1 lb. ground pork
4 oz. diced pancetta
20 oz. can pineapple in juice
14 oz. can tomato sauce
1 onion
4 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp. garlic powder
2 Tbsp. onion powder
2 tsp. dried basil
2 tsp. dried oregano
4 eggs
Kosher salt
Black pepper
Red pepper flakes

First, prep your squash. Halve lengthwise, prick the backs with a fork a few time, scoop out the seeds, put cut-side down in a shallow bowl or plate and add a Tablespoon or so of water on the bottom of the plate/bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave 15 minutes or until soft. When cooked, uncover and let cool.

Set your oven to preheat to 400F.

While the squash is working, chop the onion and garlic and brown the pancetta over medium. Set the pancetta aside when done. Add the ground pork, chopped onion and garlic to the pan with the pancetta fat – hit with salt, pepper & red pepper, and cook until browned. 

While the pork is working, drain and chop the pineapple. Add to the pork, along with the tomato sauce and spices and cook, stirring frequently, 3 – 5 minutes to fully combine. Hit with more salt, pepper and red pepper. Add the pancetta back in.

When the spaghetti squash is cool enough to handle, shred with a fork and add to the pork mix. Taste and add more salt/pepper/red pepper if necessary. Spread the spaghetti squash pork mix out along a large casserole. Top with 4 beaten eggs and spread out to cover. 

Bake on 400F for an hour or until the egg is set and browned.

Serves about 6

Zoodles with Basil Lime Pesto

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This is a light refreshing meal for summer nights when it’s too hot to eat heavy or want to mess with makin the house too hot.

Gluten-free, Paleo


Zoodles with Basil Lime Pesto

1-2 medium zucchini
3-4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 shallot
1/2 c. basil
1 lime
2-3 glugs oil (I used avocado)
2 tsp. honey
Big pinch red pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic
Kosher salt & black pepper

First, make your zoodles however you make them – I have a gadget that allows me to shred zucchini like I’m sharpening a pencil. Salt the zoodles, toss, and set in a colander to drain.

On to the chicken. Cut into bite-sized pieces, salt and pepper liberally, and place in a large skillet (along with a Tablespoon or two of fat) over medium-high heat. Sautee until browned and cooked through.

While the zoodles are resting and chicken is working, make the pesto. Add to the bowl of a food processor: juice & zest of the lime, a big hand full (about 1/2 cup) of basil, the garlic, red pepper flakes, a couple big pinches salt, a few cracks black pepper, the honey, and a couple good glugs of oil. Process until pesto, adding more oil if necessary. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

To serve, toss the zoodles with the chicken and pesto.

Serves 2 for dinner 

Seared Watermelon Salad

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Mmmmmm… Summer watermelon. This dish takes a portion of the bounty and gives it a spin, so it’s more ‘melon’ than ‘messy dessert’.

Gluten-free, Paleo, Whole30


Seared Watermelon Salad

Watermelon
Red bell pepper
Broccolini
Sesame oil
Sweet and spicy candied nuts (I used pecans) – optional
4 scallions
Boneless skinless chicken breast tenders
Almond flour
1 egg
High-temperature fat of choice
Curry powder
Juice of 1 lime
Avocado oil
2 cloves garlic
1 thumb ginger

First, make the salad. Skin the watermelon and cut into roughly 1-inch pieces. You’ll need about 3 cups. Chop the pepper. Chop the broccolini.

In your largest sautee pan, heat 1 Tbsp. sesame oil on medium-high. Add the broccolini and sautee until beginning to brown. Add the peppers and sautee until softened, hitting a couple times with salt and pepper as you go. Add to a large bowl.

Add 1 Tbsp. sesame oil to the now-empty pan. Heat over medium-high. Add the watermelon and sautee until seared around the edges. Add to the veggie bowl. Add the 4 scallions (chopped) and candied nuts (chopped). Toss to combine.

Now on to the chicken. In a shallow bowl, combine 1/2 cup almond flour, 1 Tbsp. curry powder, a big pinch kosher salt and a few cracks black pepper. 

In a separate bowl, beat the egg. 

Add 2-3 Tbsp. fat of choice to your pan. Put back over medium-high.

Dip the chicken in the egg and dredge in the flour mixture. Shallow fry until golden and cooked through. Remove to a plate to rest while you make the dressing.

To make the dressing, combine 3 glugs of avocado oil, the juice of 1 lime, a big pinch kosher salt, a few cracks black pepper, the 2 cloves of garlic (minced), the ginger (also minced), and 2 tsp. curry powder. Whisk or shake.

To serve, load a bowl with the veggie mixture, chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces and arrange over top – drizzle with the dressing.

Serves 2 for dinner + 1 for lunch.

Chicken Paillard with Caesar Green Beans

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This recipe is exactly the kind of thing I want in the summer – light, edible at room temperature, and perfectly pairable with some nice chilled wine. It is also a dish I had at a local restaurant and got so obsessed with I had to run home and re-create it for friends. Luckily, they (highly) approved.

Gluten-free, Paleo, primal


Chicken Paillard with Caesar Green Beans 

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Fat of choice 
1 lb. green beans
Kosher salt & black pepper

Caesar Dressing
3 cloves garlic
2 eggs
3 glugs olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
Parmesan (optional)
Couple dashes Worcestershire sauce (check your label!)

First, prep your chicken by sandwiching between waxed paper or Saran Wrap and pounding until a single thickness – the bowl of a mortar and pestle works great for this.

Liberally salt and pepper on each side.

Bring your largest pan up to medium-high heat, add a tablespoon or so of fat, and pan fry until browned on both sides and cooked through. I did this in batches, cooking each pounded breast separately. Set each cooked chicken breast aside.

While your chicken cooks, wash and de-tip the green beans. Spread in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle with fat, salt & pepper and broil on high 5 – 8 minutes or until fairly blistered. Remove from oven.

On to the dressing. Place the eggs in a small pan and cover with 2 inches of water. Bring to a small boil (tiny bubbles) and cook 1 minute. Drain immediately and place in an ice bath to arrest the cooking. You do *not* want cooked eggs here. Add the eggs to a large bowl, along with the lemon juice, olive oil, Worcestershire, a couple big pinches salt and quite a few cracks black pepper. Take the garlic and turn into a paste (I used a mortar and pestle but you could also use the back of your knife). Add to the dressing. Whisk vigorously to combine. 

When all is complete and your chicken has rested a good 5 minutes, slice chicken into strips and arrange on a platter. Add the green beans to the dressing, toss, and put on top of the chicken, drizzling any leftover dressing over the plate. Sprinkle with Parmesan if desired.

Serves 4 -5 for dinner