Recipes

Instant Pot Primal Chicken Enchiladas

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This dish references a Mexican favorite, enchiladas, with much fewer carbs than the original dish. This version is more stew-like and makes a delicious (and quick) winter meal.

Gluten-free, paleo (with no cheese), primal

 

Instant Pot Primal Chicken Enchiladas
Based on Chicken Enchilada Lasagna by PaleOmg

1 lb. chicken thighs
14 ounce can diced tomatoes/green chilis
14 ounce can enchilada sauce
1 yellow onion, halved
4 cloves garlic
1 Tbsp. fat
2 Tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. cayenne
1 kurabota squash or other hard winter squash (4 – 5 cups)
1 jalapeno
1 – 2 c. shredded cheddar (optional. I used Kerrygold Dubliner)

Dice half the onion and mince the garlic. Plug your Instant Pot in and set to sauté. Sauté the onion and garlic until the onion is translucent.

Add the chili powder, cumin and cayenne and stir. Sauté until fragrant. Hit the cancel button to turn off.

Peel and chop the squash.

Add the chicken, squash, tomatoes, and enchilada sauce to the Instant Pot. Seat the lid and hit the poultry button.

Let cool to release the lid.

Dump into a large baking dish, and shred the chicken.

Top with shredded cheese if desired and bake on 375 for 15 – 20 minutes.

Top with diced jalapeño.

Serves 4 

 

Gingerbread Protein Smoothie

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Yup. Another smoothie recipe. I haven’t been cooking much lately, instead focusing on throwing easy things together, homework for the class I’m taking, and holiday preparations.

Gluten-free, paleo

  

Gingerbread Protein Smoothie

2/3 cup full fat coconut milk
1/2 avocado
1 scoop collagen peptide protein powder
3 Tbsp. pumpkin puree
3 Tbsp. black strap molasses
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 inch fresh ginger (peeled)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cloves
2 – 4 Tbsp. water if needed

Whiz together with a high-powered blender. Add water if the mixture is too thick.

Serves 1

 

Lemon Chicken Thyme Paleo Risotto

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This dish just about scratches an itch. I thought it was a pretty successful approximation of risotto, given that the cauliflower has zero of the starch of risotto rice. The hubbs wasn’t fooled, but he enjoyed it anyway.

Gluten-free, paleo, possibly Whole30 depending upon your bacon

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Lemon Chicken Thyme Paleo Risotto

Based on Creamy Pumpkin Sage “Risotto” with Bacon by My Living Nutrition

4 slices bacon
2 leeks (white and light green parts only)
4 cloves garlic
Half a head of cauliflower
1/2 cup white wine
1-2 cups stock
1 cup full fat coconut milk
2 tsp. thyme
1/4 cup parmesan (optional)
1 Tbsp. preserved lemon
2 tsp. arrowroot powder + 1 Tbsp. cold water for a slurry (optional)
Salt & pepper
6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Place a large pan over medium heat and chop your bacon. Add to the pan and fry until crispy. Remove from the pan, leaving 2 Tbsp. fat.

While the bacon is crisping, wash the leeks and slice into thin coins. Mince the garlic. Get started breaking the cauliflower down into florets so you can rice them in the food processor.

When the pan is free, add the leeks and garlic and sautee, stirring occasionally until the leeks go all soft and start browning at the edges. Finish turning your cauliflower into rice while this is working and gather your liquids. Dice your preserved lemon. Gather your thyme.

When the leeks and garlic are starting to brown, add the cauliflower “rice” (about 4 cups) and the wine. Cook until the wine is almost completely evaporated. Add the 2 tsp. thyme and 1 cup stock. Simmer, stirring occasionally, 8 minutes or until the rice looks almost cooked through. If your mixture gets too dry during this process, add the second cup of stock.

Add the coconut milk, parmesan if using, and preserved lemon and simmer, stirring frequently, 5 minutes or until thickened.

If at this point your risotto isn’t thick enough (or if you didn’t use parmesan), make a slurry out of the arrowroot powder and water and add to the mixture. It should thicken almost instantly. Taste your risotto for seasoning. Add salt/pepper/acid until it is where you want it to be.

While your risotto is bubbling away, chop your chicken into bite-sized pieces and liberally sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sautee over medium-high heat in 2 Tbsp. fat of choice (bacon!) until cooked through.

Serve the chicken over the risotto, sprinkled with the bacon.

Serves 2 for dinner + 1 for lunch

Pumpkin Protein Smoothie

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Contrary to what it looks like to people who know my morning smoothie a day habit, I am not generally a fan of supplements or liquid calories in general.

But, on days when I don’t have time to grab dinner that can be chewed, this smoothie comes to the rescue in style.

As written, this recipe yields 1 smoothie with 461 calories, 40g fat, 54mg sodium, 20g carbohydrates, 15g protein, 133% Vitamin A, 15% Vitamin C, 5% Calcium, and 31% Iron. If you add the optional 2 egg yolks, that adds 108 calories, 10g fat, 420mg cholesterol, 16mg sodium, 1g carbohydrates, 6g protein, 10% Vitamin A, 4% Calcium, and 6% Iron

Gluten-free, paleo, Whole30

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Pumpkin Protein Smoothie

2/3 cup full-fat coconut milk
1 tsp. loose chai tea
3 Tbsp. pumpkin (I’ve used both canned pumpkin puree and frozen butternut squash – both worked well)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 of an avocado
2 Tbsp. collagen (I used grass fed collagen)
1/2 tsp. maple syrup
2 egg yolks (optional – these do not affect the taste or consistency of the smoothie, only add protein and calories if needed)

Blend and serve.

Serves 1 and is intended to stand as a meal replacement 

Maple Bourbon Bacon Brussels

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Drool. This dish is fantastic, and a real show-stopper when shared with friends in some sort of seasonal bacchanalia.

Gluten-free, paleo-ish

  

Maple Bourbon Bacon Brussels

1 lb. brussels sprouts
1/2 – 1 lb. bacon
2 Tbsp. grainy mustard (I prefer Maille)
1/2 tsp. grated nutmeg
Sprinkle something hot (I used dried ghost peppers)
Kosher salt
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
Bacon fat or other Fat Of Choice
1/4 cup bourbon
1/4 cup maple syrup

Brown the bacon in your largest pan over medium heat. While your bacon is browning, shred the brussels. Remove bacon to paper towels – don’t ditch the fat. If you have a bunch of kinda burnt bacon bits, pour the fat off into a bowl or cup, deal with the bits, and put the fat back into the pan and the pan back over heat.

Add the shredded brussels to the pan with the fat, along with 2 generous pinches Kosher salt. Stir to combine fully. Add the mustard and stir to incorporate fully. Add the nutmeg and hot stuff; stir again.

Sautee, stirring frequently, until the brussels begin to brown. If your brussels look a little dry during this time, add more fat – more fat = more better; it’s the holidays.

When the brussels are a little browned at the edges, add the apple cider vinegar, bourbon and maple syrup. Stir to combine. Sauté until the liquid cooks out and the brussels are as browned as you’d like, making sure to stir frequently so nothing burns.

Crumble the reserved bacon and sprinkle over top. Taste and add more salt/heat/acid as needed.

Serves a bunch as a holiday side

Thai Pumpkin Chicken

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This dish is really easy to make, holds for a long time, and is flavorful and warming. And it’s healthy – a win/win/win.

Edit: I made this a week or so ago, and I’m still thinking about it. And I’m kinda upset I don’t have it to eat right now.

Gluten-free, paleo, Whole30

 

Thai Pumpkin Chicken

1 can coconut milk
1 lb. chicken thighs
3 stalks dried lemongrass
3-4 dried kefir leaves
1 kabocha squash or other pumpkin
1/2 large onion
2 Tbsp. green curry paste (check labels!)

Peel the squash, de-seed and cut into 1/2 inch chunks. Add to a crock pot with the rest of the ingredients. Cook on high 4 – 6 hours.

Serves about 4

Creamed Corn with Chipotle Oil

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What to do with late-season corn when you’re suffering from corn fatigue? Grind it up and make a great base for some slow-cooked meat!

Gluten-free, vegetarian

 

Creamed Corn with Chipotle Oil

4 ears corn, 3 – 4 cups kernels
2 Tbsp. ghee or butter
2 cloves garlic
1/2 can coconut milk
Kosher salt
2 tsp. adobo sauce
2 Tbsp. avocado oil

Strip the corn from the cob. Add to a pot with the ghee and cook over medium heat until beginning to brown. While the corn is cooking, peel and smash the garlic.

When the corn is browned in spots, add the garlic, 2 big pinches salt and the coconut milk and kick the heat down – simmer 10 minutes.

While the corn is cooking, blend the adobo sauce and avocado oil together.

Drizzle over the corn and serve.

Serves 3 – 4 and makes the perfect foil for last week’s short ribs.

Slow Cooked Beef Short Ribs

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This meal makes a great transition into fall, taking the last of the summer corn and comboing it with nice and hearty short ribs.

Gluten-free, paleo-ish

 

Slow Cooked Beef Short Ribs

2 lbs. short ribs
1 cup red wine
28 ounces canned diced tomatoes
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 bunch thyme, 2 sprigs rosemary & 3 bay leaves tied in a bundle
1/2 head crushed garlic
4 Tbsp. onion powder
2 Tbsp. Kosher salt
Apple cider vinegar (optional)

Dump all ingredients into your slow cooker. Cook on high 6 hours.

Remove beef and set aside to cool. While cooling, put the cooking liquid into a large pot over medium heat and reduce by half; this took me about 40 minutes. When the cooking liquid is reduced to your liking, blend.

Pull the beef and pour the sauce over top. Taste. Adjust as needed – I added 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar, 2 more big pinches salt and 2 big pinches red pepper flakes.

Serves 4

Fiery Roasted Squash

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This makes a nice departure from roasted sweet potatoes as a mostly hands-off weeknight side.

Gluten-free, paleo; vegetarian & vegan if you swap the fat

  

It’s not as burnt as it looks – promise – I got a little carried away with my Hipstamatic app.

Fiery Roasted Squash

1 kabocha squash
2 Tbsp. melted ghee or other fat
2 Tbsp. spicy harissa (I use Mina)
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. maple syrup
1 tsp. ground coriander
2 big pinches Kosher salt

Preheat oven to 425 F. Peel and chop the kabocha – kabocha isn’t the easiest squash to peel, I used a knife and kind of shaved the skin off.

Prep a baking sheet with foil.

Toss all ingredients together and spread out into a single layer on the baking sheet.

Bake 20 minutes, flip, and bake an additional 20 minutes until roasted.

Serves 4 as a side

Sesame & Pear Kale Salad

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This little number is quick to whip up and bursting with healthy flavor.

  
Gluten-free, paleo (check labels), vegetarian

Sesame & Pear Kale Salad

1 bunch kale
1/2 an Asian pear
2 serrano peppers
2 tsp. sesame oil
2 Tbsp. sesame seeds
2 tsp. ketjap manis or coconut aminos or soy sauce
1 tsp. honey
2 Tbsp. rice vinegar

In a large bowl, add the washed and chopped kale, the chopped pear, and the de-seeded and diced chilis.

In a small bowl, whisk everything else together.

Combine, massaging the dressing into the kale with your fingers.

Serves 2 for dinner