Tag: gluten-free

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 

Slow-Cooked Chipotle Pork Loin

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This preparation is slightly spicy and lean and delicious. Would work equally well on beef or chicken.

Paired with the garlic cauliflower purée below, it’s a hearty-feeling quick meal.

Gluten-free, Paleo


Slow-Cooked Chipotle Pork Loin

For the meat

2 lb. pork loin
1-2 chipotles + 1-2 Tbsp. adobo
1.5 Tbsp. cumin
2 Tbsp. garlic powder
2 Tbsp. onion powder
2 Tbsp. Kosher salt
30 cracks black pepper
1/2 cup broth or stock

Combine spices in a small bowl. Chop the chipotle and rub it, along with the adobo, on the pork. Sprinkle the spice mix over all sides.

Transfer to your slow cooker, add the stock, and cook on low 8 hours. Serve over cauliflower purée.

For the cauliflower

1 head cauliflower
4 cloves garlic
1.5-2 Tbsp. butter
Splash some sort of liquid (I used almond milk)
2 huge pinches salt 
40 cracks black pepper

Fill a large pot with about half an inch water. Put over high heat.

De-stem and chop the cauliflower. Toss into the pot, add a lid, and steam 8 minutes. 

Drain and add to your blender or food processor along with the raw garlic, butter, milk, salt & pepper. Blend until smooth. 

The pork serves 4-5; the cauliflower serves 3-4

Turmeric & Chive Cauli Rice Bowl with Chicken

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You guys. It’s been so long. I haven’t posted a recipe in months, and I apologize. Nerd school had me running around so busy I didn’t even always remember to *eat* dinner, and when I did it was mostly what was quick, cheap, and could be gotten with as little effort as possible.

Needless to say, a month or so of that has left me feeling kind of like crap. And now I’m hot on the job hunt, so my schedule continues to be wonky. 

But … I got to make dinner this past week, and man was it a good one! This dish is crazy healthy (it’s basically a hit salad), has enough fat to be fulfilling, brings a one-two punch of protein to the party, and is low in carbs. What more could a girl ask for when trying to repair her schedule (and body!)?

Gluten-free, Paleo, Whole30, easily made vegetarian or even vegan


Turmeric & Chive Cauli Rice Bowl with Chicken

Based on Rainbow Cauliflower Rice Bowl by 101 Cookbooks 

1 head cauliflower
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs
4 eggs
2 Tbsp. Grass fed butter, melted
1 tsp. Cumin
1 tsp. Turmeric
Smattering of dried ghost chili (or cayenne)
1 bunch chives
Juice of 1 lemon
Salad oil of choice (I used hazelnut)
1/2 bunch rainbow chard
Cooking fat of choice (I used coconut oil)
Kosher salt & black pepper

First, make the “rice” and get the eggs on. 

Quarter, de-stem and roughly slice the cauliflower. Crumble as you add to a large pot with about 1/2 inch water in the bottom. Hit with a big pinch of salt and cover. Steam about 5-7 minutes.

While the cauliflower is going, boil the eggs 5 or so minutes until hard-boiled and let sit to cool. 

Wash and de-stem the chard. Chop the stems and add to the cauliflower during the last minute or two of cooking. Slice the leaves into ribbons and set aside.

Drain the cauliflower + chard stems and set your broiler to high.

In a small bowl, combine the butter, turmeric, cumin, chili, and a big pinch of salt.

Dump the cauliflower onto a baking sheet, pour the turmeric sauce over, and massage well to combine. Spread into a single layer on the sheet and drizzle with a little additional fat. Broil 5 – 7 minutes or until browned in spots.

While the cauliflower is browning, chop the chicken, hit with a couple big pinches salt and a few cracks of black pepper – sautee over medium-high in a Tablespoon of fat until cooked through. During the last minute or so, add the chard ribbons and stir to wilt.

While everything else is working, blend the chives, lemon juice and a big pinch of salt with a few good glugs of salad oil until smooth. Reserve.

Peel your eggs – have you seen this? Genius! – and slice.

To serve, add a healthy portion of cauliflower “rice” to a bowl, top with the chicken chard mixture, add a couple sliced eggs, and drizzle with chive oil.

Serves 2 for dinner 

Paleo “Mississippi” Roast

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This is a super simple slow cooker dish that comes together in a flash, feeds a million, and lasts well for a week’s worth of dinners.

Gluten-free, paleo


Paleo “Mississippi” Roast

Based on a whole bunch of sources, but this was my paleo-specific starting spot

5 lb. chuck or rump roast
1 packet as least-extraneous-crap-as-possible ranch mix or 4 Tbsp. paleo ranch mix
10 pepperoncinis + extras and some juice for garnish
2 Tbsp. coconut aminos
1/2 c. beef broth
3 Tbsp. ghee
1 onion
Kosher salt & pepper
Zoodles or roasted broccoli to serve

Slice your onion and pepperoncinis thin. Add the onion to your slow cooker. Rest the roast on top. Sprinkle with half the ranch seasoning, flip and sprinkle the rest on top. Pour the coconut aminos and beef broth in, and add the ghee. Hit with 2-3 pinches salt and a good amount of black pepper.

Cook on low 8 hours. When finished, take the lid off the slow cooker, shred the beef and cook on High (uncovered) for half an hour to an hour to let some of the liquid cook off. To serve, top with more sliced pepperoncinis and a couple splashes pepperonicini juice. This beef is great on lightly sauteed zoodles or roasted broccoli.

Serves a bunch

Pineapple Jerk Pork Bowl

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This dish is tasty, satisfying, light enough for Spring or Summer, and feeds an army.

Perfect for a busier-than-usual life, like the one I’ve been leading lately.

  

 Gluten-free, paleo, Whole30 (make homemade aioli)

Pineapple Jerk Pork Bowl

Based on Slow Cooker Jerk Pork in Pineapple Bowls by How Sweet Eats

3 – 5 lbs. pork shoulder
2 – 3 Tbsp. jerk seasoning
1/3 head red cabbage
1 can pineapple in juice
1/2 red onion
3 Tbsp. cilantro
3 Tbsp. aioli or mayo
1 – 2 Tbsp. sriracha (optional)
Juice of 1 lime
Kosher salt & black pepper

Rub your pork shoulder down and place in your crock pot. Add the juice from the can of pineapple. Cook on low for 8 hours. Shred, take out the bones if there are any, and kick the pot up to high – cook uncovered half an hour to an hour to evaporate some of the liquid. Alternately, spread your pork + juice out in a baking dish and bake @ 400.

While your pork is doing its pork thing, make the slaw by shredding the cabbage, chopping the pineapple, dicing the red onion, chopping the cilantro and tossing with mayo + sriracha + lime juice + a few hits each of salt and pepper.

Enjoy.

Serves a bunch

Slow Cooker Paleo Beef Stroganoff-ish

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This is quite tasty. It doesn’t quite qualify as “beef stroganoff” but it is good nonetheless.

gluten-free, paleo

   

 Slow Cooker Paleo Beef Stroganoff-ish

1 lb stew beef, cubed
1 onion, sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 c. white wine (optional)
1 can coconut milk
2 tsp. beef flavored Better Than Bouillon
2 Tbsp. dried porcini mushrooms, chopped
4 carrots, chopped
1 zucchini per person, zoodled (optional)
Fat of Choice

Add all ingredients but zoodles & fat of choice to your slow cooker. Cook on low for 8 hours.

To serve, quickly sautée the zoodles in fat over medium-high until beginning to soften.

Serves 2 for dinner + 1 for lunch

Slow Cooker Thai Pork

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This hands-off weeknight meal comes together in a flash, and cooks while you work. A win-win situation. 

gluten-free, paleo, Whole30

  

Slow Cooker Thai Pork

1 lb. ground pork
1/4 c. broth
1/4 c. lime juice
2 Tbsp. fish sauce
2 Tbsp. coconut aminos
1/2 inch ginger, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced 
1 bell pepper, sliced into strips
1 crown broccoli, cut into florets
4 carrots, chopped
2 pinches red pepper flakes

Add all items to your slow cooker, starting with the pork. Cook on High 6 hours.

To serve, top with: a hand full of chopped basil, 3 chopped scallions, a pinch of red pepper flakes and a pinch of sesame seeds. Serve over cauliflower rice to stretch.

Serves 3 without cauli rice; 4+ with

Paleo Pineapple Fried Rice

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This meal was fantastic, and I was super happy I didn’t have to share with the DH. As written, this recipe makes enough for 1 dinner.

gluten-free, paleo

Paleo Pineapple Fried Rice

1/4 head cauliflower
2 ounces bacon
1 small carrot
1.5 chicken thighs
1/2 c. pineapple chunks in a little juice
2 cloves garlic
1/2 habanero
1 Tbsp. fish sauce
1 Tbsp. coconut aminos
2 tsp. lime juice
2 tsp. sambal olek
1 egg

First, prep your cauliflower by coring and chopping finely or running through your food processor to make rice-sized bits.

Brown the bacon over medium. While the bacon is browning, dice the carrot, mince the garlic, mince the habanero, and chop the chicken thighs.

When the bacon is browned, remove to a paper towel to drain. Pour off all but a Tablespoon of the fat and reserve.

Kick the heat up to medium-high, add the carrot and chicken to the pan, and sauté until just browned.

Add the pineapple, garlic and habanero. Sauté 1 – 2 minutes.

Add the cauliflower and sauté until half-softened.

Add the fish sauce, coconut aminos, lime juice and sambal olek.

Cook, stirring frequently, until the rice is soft and the pineapple is browned in spots.

Remove to a bowl. Add the reserved bacon fat to the pan and crack the egg in.

Let sit a minute (until half firm), and then start stirring. Cook until done.

Top the rice with the egg and bacon and enjoy.

Serves 1

 

Bacon Scallops with Jicama Risotto

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This was a surprisingly satisfying dinner. I had no idea what to expect from the jicama risotto, but it was good – the jicama had a really mild taste (mostly tasted like the broth I used), and served as a nice “starchy” base for my veggies, fat and decadent seafood.

Gluten-free, paleo

 

Bacon Scallops with Jicama Risotto

Loosely based on Grain-free Bacon and Shrimp Risotto by Healthful Pursuit

1 jicama
2 – 4 ounces bacon
1/2 c. bone broth
1 bunch broccolini
1 shallot
Scallops (6 – 10 per person)
Kosher salt
White pepper
Black pepper

First, prep your jicama. Peel [I used a knife because my peeler wasn’t cutting it (ha)], and cut into large pieces. Feed through the shredder disk of your food processor. If you want smaller “rice” bits, pulse a couple times with the cutting blade.

In a large pan (I used my wok), heat the broth over medium-high. Add the jicama and cook, stirring frequently, 10 minutes or so – until the broth evaporates. Hit with salt & white pepper a couple times during cooking to season.

While the “risotto” is working, brown the bacon and set aside. While the bacon is working, chop the broccolini and thinly slice the shallot. When the bacon is done and you have removed it from the pan, halve the fat leftover, kick the heat to medium-high, add the broccolini, and sauté 5 – 6 minutes, or until the broccolini starts to look a bit softened. Add the shallot, hit with salt & pepper, and sauté, stirring frequently, until the broccolini is softened and the shallots start to brown (about 10 minutes).

When the broccolini is finished, remove and add the rest of the fat to the pan. Salt & pepper the scallops and cook over medium-high until just firm, flipping once during cooking to get a nice sear on both sides. Scallops take 3 – 5 minutes to cook through.

To serve, top the risotto with the broccolini and scallops and top with crumbled bacon.

Serves 2 for dinner