Recipes

Good for what ails you Cabbage, Kale & Apple Hot Toss

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This is one of those super comforting good for what ails you meals for chilly nights when all you want to do is curl up with some runny egg yolks and huddle under the blankets. It won’t be winning any beauty pageants, but it is warm, filling, comforting, gluten-free & paleo-friendly.

Good For What Ails You Cabbage, Kale & Apple Hot Toss

1 head Savoy cabbage, cored and sliced
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and sliced
1/2 large yellow onion, sliced
1 bunch Lactino kale, washed and sliced into ribbons
1 Tbsp. carraway seeds
2 Tbsp. garlic powder
2 Tbsp. onion powder
1 Tbsp. white pepper
Salt to taste
2 eggs per person
Bacon
Coconut oil

In your largest skillet over medium heat, melt 1 Tbsp. coconut oil. Once the oil is melted and the pan is hot, add your cabbage, onion and kale. I happen to like my apples on the disintegratey side, so I added them at this point as well. If you like firmer apples, wait until 5 minutes or so before the end of cooking.

Sautee 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally to avoid burning, until browned and softened. I hit the mixture twice during cooking with the spices and some salt; you might want to add all of it in the beginning. Either method works, just taste as you go.

In a separate pan, crisp your bacon. Set aside and add the eggs to the hot fat. Fry till your heart’s content.

Serves 2 for dinner or 1 for dinner with 2 lunch portions left over.

Creamy Squash Ribbon Red Pepper Pasta (Paleo)

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This paleo-friendly, gluten-free & vegan pasta is a diabolical way to sneak zucchini and other soft squashes past the squash texture-averse. By cutting the squash in ribbons, the squishy texture disappears and they become more palatable (even for Southerners who grew up hating the gloppiness and squeek of squash casserole). The ribbons also look like pasta; more important than looks alone, your belly is also tricked into thinking it has just consumed a mound of pasta. Yum all around. The creamy sauce helps with this as well and doesn’t taste like coconut – with the nut butter, peppers and other spices, it ends up tasting savory and rich.

I loved this pasta; my squash-averse DH ate it warily, but didn’t have any real complaint about it other than he knew it was squash. I’m sure the presence of a big ol’ slab of London broil on the side did wonders for the pasta’s begrudging acceptance.

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Creamy Squash Ribbon Red Pepper Pasta

Adapted from Paleo Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Steak and Pasta from PaleOMG

2 zucchini
2 yellow summer squash
1 roasted red pepper
1 bunch spinach
1/4 c. almond butter (to be paleo, use almond butter – I happened to only have peanut on hand, so I used peanut. The original recipe called for a full half cup almond and would be thicker with the full amount. I halved because I was using the wrong nut butter)
1/2 can coconut milk
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. onion powder
1 tsp. golden mustard (or your favorite mustard – I use Golden’s spicy)
1 Tbsp. coconut aminos
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 Tbsp. chipotle powder
Salt & pepper to taste

First, prep your noodles. I used a wide speed peeler to make long, wide noodles. If you can use a mandoline without slicing off a digit, the julienne setting makes nice matchstick noodles. I prefer less blood in my dinner, so I went the slow route. It didn’t take that long. If you’re not into wide noodles, stack those babies up and slice lengthwise.

Make your creamy sauce. Add the coconut milk, almond butter, spices, garlic, aminos, red pepper and mustard to the bowl of a food processor. Whiz until thoroughly combined. Taste. Add salt and pepper (and any additional amounts of spice) until you’re satisfied.

In your largest skillet over medium – medium-high heat, add the squash noodles. A dry pan is fine here; you’re going to be adding the sauce momentarily. Toss the noodles a time or two so each is kissed by heat. Add the spinach and sauce and toss (carefully with tongs or you’ll break all your noodles up and throw the spinach around the room) frequently until it all looks cooked. You’re not cooking the noodles to death and you’re not serving them raw – think al dente with wilted spinach. This process should take 5-8 minutes, depending upon how hot and crowded your pan is.

Serves 2 for dinner + 1 for lunch.

Restrictive But Delicious – ‘Paleo’ Tortillas

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I struggled in naming this recipe. This is a straight-up paleo recipe – restrictive, delicious – but so much more. I’m trying to steer clear of the ‘paleo’ label, but I find much of what I’ve been making lately falling firmly in that category. The hubbs and I are trying something different this fall – gone are the whole grain and lentil-heavy dishes of previous seasons; in are the veg and meat-laden dishes prescribed by the followers of paleo-style diets. We’ve decided to limit our intake of dairy to good-quality butter, to forego glutinous starches, to limit our intake of non-gluten substantive substances like lentils, beans and legumes (except for the occasional quinoa and near-weekly sushi nights). We shall see how this goes long-term, but so far we’re kind of liking it. Finding the right fat-to-everythingelse ratio has been challenging (for the hubbs at least, who was making some kind of crazy-ass bulletproof coffee drink with butter and coconut oil and who seems to need more than a salad & exercise goo as fuel for a long run). I seem to be faring better in the switch – other than not being able to cuddle with chickpeas and lentils lashed with greek yogurt, not a huge change (except for upping my meat intake, which isn’t the easiest thing when meal planning – I love me some vegetarian dishes).

For those of you that enjoy my mostly vegetarian dishes, never fear – I’m not abandoning those at all. I will most likely be posting more side dishes that can easily be bumped up to become vegetarian mains. Like this one. These ‘tortillas’ are really, really good. Tortillas isn’t quite the right term, here – they’re more like a crepe – but whatever the taxonomy, they work just fine as a taco wrapper. They taste a little coconutty, a little spicy, and a lot good. I could easily see this basic blueprint morphing into a sandwich wrapper or a pancake with very little trouble. Come to think of it, these would kick ass in place of a crepe in one of those huge cone-shaped sandwiches. Some grilled veggies, something in place of the hummus I’d naturally gravitate toward, a little balsamic, a little garlic… that sounds like sandwich heaven. Ham and cheese also comes to mind, for the non lactose-averse.

Enough with the daydreaming; I’m making myself hungry. I was first introduced to these tasty babies through PaleOMG’s recipe for Pork Avocado Cream Enchiladas. I’m a sucker for avocado crema. Love, love, love it. I could eat it on anything – and have, actually (as a pasta sauce, burger topper, by the spoonful, in ice cream, etc.). I’m also a huge lover of all things tacos, so this was a no-brainer. The entire dish was fabulous – so fabulous, I made the tortillas again for lunch the next day with the tweaks I’d envisioned the night before and polished off every last bit of the leftovers taco-style in a single sitting. Yum. So without further ado: tortilla-y crepes.

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Restrictive But Delicious Paleo Tortillas

6 egg whites
3 Tbsp. coconut flour
6-8 Tbsp. coconut milk
1/4 tsp. baking soda
Big pinch salt
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. dried, ground chipotle
1-2 Tbsp. coconut oil

Whisk all ingredients together until smooth. If your batter is too stiff, add a little more coconut milk or some water until it thins out to the consistency you want – somewhere between what you woud use for a thick pancake and a crepe – not too watery, and you’ll have a huge mess; not too pasty, or you’ll have a hard time spreading into a thin layer and you will end up with a pancake.

In your largest skillet, heat 1-2 Tbsp. coconut oil over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add a ladelfull of your batter and circle with your spoon to spread into a thin layer (newspaper thin is ideal).

When you can see the edges are browning and just beginning to turn up on the sides (everything will be smelling really nutty at this point), very carefully reach your thinnest most flexible spatula under and flip. Be gentle; these babies want to tear if they’re not quite ready to go. Brown on side 2; transfer to a plate to await filling. This week was all about shredded pork; next week I’m playing with an eggless version for ground beef tacos.

Serves 2-3, depending upon how hungry you are and how carried away you get with the batter on the first few. I ended up making 3 large tortillas and 1 baby tortilla because I’ve only made pancakes like twice in my life and had zero idea of portion size. If you’re a pancake maker, think silver dollar pancake size servings and you will be fine.

Full Flavor Root Veg Mash

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This time of year, my mind wanders to thick hearty bowls of mashed potatoes; warm and cozy, wrapped in nostalgia. White potatoes, semi-unfortunately, aren’t a part of the high nutrient payload way we are trying to eat these days.

On the plus side, Idaho’s best aren’t the only tubers that purée into loveliness. This mash won’t win any beauty contests, but it is good. Thinner than starchy potatoes, and (at least this version) not as silky, these mashed turnips are still something to be reckoned with. Stout in their own way, with ribbons of decadent butter, homey garlic and a little something extra from stock.

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Full Of Flavor Root Veg Mash

1 lb. turnips, chopped into 1/4 to 1/2 inch cubes
1 Tbsp. butter
1/4 c. or less vegetable stock
1 tsp. granulated garlic
Salt & pepper to taste

Boil the turnips in a large pot of salted water 6-10 minutes or until tender. Drain and add to the bowl of a food processor with the butter and garlic. Let run, drizzling in vegetable stock until your desired consistency is reached. Salt & pepper to taste.

Serves 3 as a vegetarian, gluten-free, paleo-friendly fall side dish.

Tart and Spicy Chickpea & Lentil Salad

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This dish comes together in a flash and makes a nice, light, refreshing weekday meal. Vaguely Indian, vaguely not – big on flavor and low on fat.

Tart and Spicy Chickpea & Lentil Salad
Inspired by Wacky Chana Chaat from Herbivoracious

Salad Base
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 c. carrots, diced
1/2 c. black lentils (or any other lentil that stands up to cooking), cooked
10 cherry tomatoes, halved
6 scallions, sliced into thin rounds
1 colored bell pepper, chopped (or 1/2 to 3/4 c. mixed color peppers – whichever you fancy)
Juice of 1 lime
1 tsp. sriracha
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. ground coriander
1/4 tsp. black pepper
Big pinch salt

Yogurt Topper
3 oz. plain greek yogurt
1 Tbsp. tamarind paste
Another big pinch salt

In a medium sized pan over medium heat, toast the chickpeas and carrots until browned. I did this in a dry pan and kept everything moving to prevent sticking. If you’re worried about having to babysit, add a Tablespoon or so of oil to the pan.

While the chickpeas/carrots are cooking, chop the pepper, slice the scallions, halve the tomatoes; toss into a big bowl along with the spices, lime juice, sriracha, and lentils.

Once the chickpeas/carrots are to your liking, add to the bowl. Toss and taste for seasoning.

In a separate small bowl, combine the yogurt, tamarind paste and a big pinch of salt. Stir. Taste and add more salt or tamarind as necessary.

To serve, top bowls of the salad with the yogurt mixture and mint chutney if you have any on hand. Extra splashes of tamarind or squirts of sriracha may be requested.

Serves 2 for dinner + 1 for lunch

Eggplant Sauce

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This all-purpose sauce is a great addition to any fall dish and a good way to sneak eggplant past finicky eaters. Try it as a pasta sauce with some fresh ricotta or goat cheese, over a protein with a side of potatoes or greens, nestled in a bowl of polenta, or spread on a sandwich.

I’ve been putting a couple big spoonfuls in pretty much anything I think needs a little comfort food love – including into lunchtime tuna salad. Unexpectedly yum.

*Wtf is umami paste? Umami paste is one of those wing-ding ingredients that while not entirely necessary, lends a little extra something to a dish. Think of it like fish sauce. Fish sauce adds depth to dishes, and so does this stuff. I had half a mind to just add fish sauce instead but grabbed the tube of umami at the last minute. If you have fish sauce (or the original recipe’s tomato paste), by all means use them instead.

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Eggplant Sauce

Based on Yotam Ottolenghi’s Eggplant Sauce

Enough vegetable or other neutral oil to coat the bottom of the pan

2c. diced eggplant – 1/4 to 1/2 inch. cubes

2 tsp. umami paste*

1/4 c. white wine

1 can diced tomatoes with juice

big pinch salt

big pinch brown sugar

1 tsp. dried oregano

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Sautee the eggplant for about 15 minutes, or until well wilted and starting to brown in spots.

Add the umami paste to the pan, stir, and cook about 2 more minutes. Add the wine, cook an additional minute. Add the tomatoes, juice, salt, sugar and oregano and cook an additional 5 minutes. Turn the heat off the burner and let cool slightly.

Dump into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until your desired consistency is reached. This step is optional, but makes things more palatable for people with aversions to eggplant consistency.

Serves 2-4, depending upon how much you use and in what application.

Harissa

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This fiery little African/Middle Eastern condiment can be dressed up and used a thousand different ways. Use as the base for a dipping sauce for meats, cheeses, etc., on sandwiches, tucked into green beans or other veggies, as a pasta sauce, or anywhere else you want some spicy seasoning with a splash of smoke.

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Harissa

1 red pepper

1 long red chile

1 tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. olive oil

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

1/4 tsp. coriander

1/4 tsp. cumin

Squirt fish sauce

Blacken red pepper. When it cools enough to handle, de-stem and de-seed. Place into a food processor and add the rest of the ingredients. Pulse to forme a paste, scraping down the sides of the bowl if necessary. Season with salt & pepper.

Serves 2-8, depending upon how you use it.

Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, I Know: Another Cabbagy Slaw Salady Thing

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Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know: I’ve posted a bunch of these cabbagey slaw salad-ish dishes, but I love them so. Red cabbage is such a good foil for tanginess that I can hardly resist creating something magnificent or terrible for lunch with leftovers.

This version lends a tangy, sweet, crunchy and spicy backbone to simple black bean burger with avocado crema and a fried egg leftovers (or any other leftovers that aren’t a balanced meal in and of themselves, really).

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Red Cabbage Slaw with Blackberry Honey and Spice

1/4 head red cabbage, sliced very thin

1 tsp. Whidbey Island Blackberry Honey (I realize you most likely don’t have this on hand – substitute regular honey, preferably with a kiss of fresh blackberry or blackberry jam alongside)

2 tsp. rice vinegar

1 tsp. sambal olek (I use chicken brand chili sauce with garlic)

A dusting of chopped cilantro

Citrus salt to dress

Combine all ingredients but salt in a bowl, finger toss until everything is playing nicely together. Sprinkle with citrus salt and toss again.

Makes a great kicky accompaniment to any kind of leftovers – if you want to turn it into a full lunch alone, add some salad greens or tuna and/or chickpeas.

Serves 1 for lunch

Sesame Ginger Edamame Mash

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This is a fabulous side dish made all the more rich and satisfying by the addition of toasted sesame oil. What you get is a sumptuous, velvety mash with the consistency of potatoes, the smoothness of a root vegetable puree, and the nutty richness of peanut butter. Bonus points for those wanting a hearty potato alternative that is low on the glycemic index.

Sesame Ginger Edamame Mash
Adapted from Gluten Free Girl and the Chef’s recipe for edamame mash

15 ounces frozen edamame, shelled and unsalted
3 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil
2 Tbsp. grated ginger
2 Tbsp. ponzu (you could also use soy or tamari)
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. fish sauce (you may need a splash more)
2 tsp. lemon juice (or lime, whatever you have on hand)

Bring a large pot of water up to a boil. Add the edamame and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain and add to the bowl of your food processor. Add the sesame oil, ginger, soy sauce, vinegar, fish sauce and lemon juice. Whiz until a puree forms, scraping down the sides if needed. If your mixture is looking a little dry, drizzle in some water until you reach the desired consistency. Taste and season with extras if needed. I needed a bit more fish sauce to hit the right balance.

Serves 2 for dinner + 1 for lunch as a hearty side; could be stretched to 4 sides with ease.

Red Cabbage and Fennel Slaw with Beet Horseradish

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This is a great little sturdy slaw that works great as a topping for pork burgers or sausages, or as a crunchy side for any other late-summer dinner.

Seriously? I think Lasik might be in my future… I thought this was in focus.

Red Cabbage and Fennel Slaw

1/4 Granny Smith apple
1/4 bulb fennel
1/4 head red cabbage
2 Tbsp. beet horseradish
2 Tbsp. grapeseed oil
1 tsp. spicy mustard
1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
Salt & pepper to taste

Shred the cabbage, julienne the apple and slice the fennel into wafer thin arcs, depositing into a large bowl as you go. In a small bowl, whisk the oil, mustard, vinegar and horseradish into a dressing. Pour over the salad & toss. Salt & pepper to taste.

Serves 2 for dinner as a side, 4 or more as a protein topper.