Tag: paleo

Curried Cabbage with Eggs

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I was not sure this dish was going to turn out how I’d planned it to. I’m still on a Sri Lankan / curry kick, wanted to make some noodly cabbage, and thought I remembered seeing eggs with cabbage somewhere on the Internets or on a menu. Maybe. I’m glad I took a chance. This turned out fabulous.

Gluten-free, paleo, keto, vegetarian

Curried Cabbage with Eggs

1/2 small head cabbage (about 3 cups when cut into thin ribbons)
1 Tbsp. ginger garlic paste
1/2 red onion (about 1/2 cup diced)
1 Tbsp. madras curry
Pinch turmeric
1/2 tsp. chili flakes
2 – 3 Tbsp. fat of choice (I used ghee)
Juice of 1/2 lime

Cut your cabbage into ribbons and dice the onion.

Heat 2 Tbsp. fat in a large pan over medium. Add the cabbage, salt, and sautee until slightly browned – about 5 – 7 minutes.

When the cabbage is browned, push to the side and add the remaining Tablespoon fat, onion, curry powder, ginger garlic paste, turmeric and a bit more salt. Stir together and let go 1 – 2 minutes.

Stir into the cabbage and cook an additional 4 or 5 minutes or until the onions are soft and the cabbage is to your liking.

Take off the heat, sprinkle with the chili and stir. Toss with a couple cranks salt and the lime juice.

Place in a bowl and set aside while you make your eggs.

For The Eggs

2 eggs
1 Tbsp. fat of choice (I used ghee)
1 tsp. ginger garlic paste
1/2 tsp. yellow mustard seeds
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. madras curry

Put the pan over medium-low heat. Add the fat, ginger garlic paste, mustard seeds, turmeric and curry and cook 1 – 2 minutes or until bloomed (fragrant).

Break the eggs into the pan and softly scramble until almost dry. Cut the heat.

Add on top of the cabbage and serve.

Makes 1 dinner sized serving or can stretch for 2 for lunch

Sri Lankan Style Curried Eggplant

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Mmmmm. I don’t know that this turned out *quite* right, but it was freaking delicious nonetheless. To make a well-rounded meal, add some rotisserie chicken to your bowl and top with this goodness.

gluten-free, keto, paleo, vegetarian, vegan

Sri Lankan Style Curried Eggplant

1 lb. eggplant
1/2 c. oil (I used coconut because that is what I had)
1 Tbsp. ginger garlic paste
1 red chili
1 small red onion
1 tsp. turmeric
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. madras curry powder
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp. honey or sugar-free sweetener
1 tsp. yellow mustard seeds
Salt

Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high. While the oil is heating, cut the eggplant into 1-inch strips; dice the chili and onion. When the oil is hot, add the eggplant in a single layer with plenty of room (you may need to do this in 2 – 3 batches) and fry until browned on all sides. Remove from the oil to a plate covered with paper towels and sprinkle with salt.

When all the eggplant is browned to your liking, drain all but a Tablespoon of oil from the pan. Add the onion and chili and cook until softened.

While the onion and chili is working, make a paste out of the ginger garlic paste, mustard seeds, turmeric, chili powder, curry powder, vinegar, and honey. Add to the pan when the onion and chili are soft. Cook 3 – 4 minutes, stirring continually, to mix.

Add the eggplant and let cook an additional 2 – 3 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add salt if needed.

Serves 2 – 3 as a side 

Low Carb Sushi Bowl

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Sushi is something I really miss when I’m cracking down on my carbs – a bowl like this helps in times like that. You can dress this up a million different ways: sub cauli rice tossed with a splash rice vinegar for the cucumber noodles, switch out the proteins, add your favorite ingredients … the sky’s the limit, really.

Gluten-free, paleo, keto

Low Carb Sushi Bowl

Bowl

Shrimp – I had 19kg or 18 medium
1.5 tsp. ginger garlic paste
1 Tbsp. your favorite oil
1/2 avocado
2 sheets nori
1 cucumber

Sauce

2 Tbsp. mayo
1 tsp. coconut aminos or soy sauce
1 tsp. sriracha or to taste
1 tsp. rice vinegar
1/2 tsp. ginger garlic paste

Topper

2 tsp. sesame oil
2 tsp. sesame seeds
1 tsp. furikake

First, make your base by noodling the cucumber however it is that you prepare zucchini noodles. Cucumber noodles will be a bit wetter, so you will want to put them in a colander to drain. Salt if you want and let sit to drain while you prep everything else.

In a large pan over medium heat, add the neutral oil and large portion of ginger garlic paste. let cook until fragrant. Add the shrimp and sautee until pink and cooked through – about 4 minutes total for both sides. Cut the heat and move the pan aside.

While the shrimp is cooking, make the sauce by combining all sauce ingredients in a small bowl and stirring.

To assemble, split the cucumber between two bowls. Cut the nori into thin strips and divide between the bowls. Cut the avocado into bite-sized pieces and divide. Divide the shrimp and add.

Top with a drizzle of the sauce and add sprinkle with the toppers.

Serves 2 for a light dinner

Sri Lankan Style Okra Curry

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Sri Lanka. Man, was that place full of good food. Home to many cultures, religions and ethnicities including: Sinhalese, Tamils, Buddhists, Muslims, Christians, Moors, Burghers, Malays, Chinese and Vedda; this tiny nation off the southern coast of India has a mix of flavors and influences when it comes to food (and everything, really – it’s also a former British colony, so there’s that as well).

Most of what we ended up eating (and craving) was curry, and most of those tasted like a combination of Indian (luckily only a little British-Indian) and Chinese flavors. Yuuuuuuuuuum.

Pics, btw, of the trip coming shortly-ish – DH took some great landscape HDRs and I’m waiting on him to process those. Of course, he has some Photoshop-free travel coming up — so it might be awhile. Hold, please.

Back to the food. DROOL. And there’s more Sri Lanka-inspired goodness coming in the next few weeks. CUISINE, I WILL LEARN YOUR SECRETS.

gluten-free, paleo, vegetarian, vegan, keto

Sri Lankan Style Okra Curry
inspired by Sri Lankan Lady’s Fingers (aka Okra, Bandakka) by Island Smile

1 lb. or so okra (3-4 cups when cut)
4 Tbsp. fat of choice (I used half neutral oil and half ghee)
1 medium tomato
1 medium onion
2-3 cloves garlic
1 Tbsp. ground turmeric
1/2 – 1 tsp. cayenne powder
Juice 1/2 lime
Salt

First, prep your ingredients by slicing your okra on the diagonal, and chopping the tomato, onion, and garlic.

Put your okra in a large bowl, salt liberally, and sprinkle with turmeric. Toss to combine.

Heat your largest pan over medium heat. Cover the bottom of the pan with okra (you may have to do multiple batches) and dry fry 5-7 minutes or until the edges start to brown. Set aside. (note: my okra did not kick off much of the dreaded horrorslime. If yours is, and I’ve only really gotten okra to kick slime the first time I ever tried cooking it, cook until it’s is gone. Nobody wants that – slime wins no hearts and minds).

Raise the heat to medium-high and add the fat, onion, garlic, tomato and another hit of salt. Sautee until the onions are soft and start to brown.

Add the okra back to the pan and cook, stirring frequently, another 4-5 minutes. Taste for salt. Sprinkle the cayenne over top, stir to combine, and cook an additional minute or so.

Turn the heat off and hit with some lime and more spice if desired.

Serves 2 for dinner as a main course – great combined with leftover rotisserie chicken – or 4 as a side

Roasted Cauliflower with Shallot Oil

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This isn’t the least fussy thing I’ve ever made, but it’s ready in under an hour and is freaking delicious.

Inspired by this Instagram post by Heidi Swanson at 101 Cookbooks. I’d forgotten just how inspiring I find her take on flavors. /swoon

gluten-free, paleo, keto, vegetarian, vegan

Roasted Cauliflower with Shallot Oil

1 small head cauliflower
Fat of choice
1/2 head garlic split into cloves
1/2 tsp. yellow mustard seeds
1/4 tsp. black cumin seeds
1 Tbsp. minced garlic & ginger
1 tsp. turmeric powder
1-2 large shallots
Salt & pepper
Optional: pulled rotisserie chicken

Preheat your oven to 400F/200C.

First, peel and finely slice the shallots. Add to a small pot with enough fat to cover the bottom. Place over med-high heat until simmering, lower to med-low, and let go until the shallots are crisped up.

Break your cauliflower up into florets and spread in 1 layer on a baking sheet. Add the garlic cloves on one end – it’s ok if they are still in the paper skins. Drizzle everything with a generous hit of the fat you’re using and sprinkle with salt & pepper. Bake 20 minutes or so or until the shallots are done and the cauliflower is to your desired brownness.

While those two are working, make some curry-ish paste by frying the mustard and cumin seeds in 2 Tbsp. fat over medium-high heat in a small pan. When the seeds start to pop, add the garlic & ginger and turmeric. Stir quickly until the mixture is very fragrant. Set aside.

To serve, scoop out some cauliflower and top with pulled chicken if desired, a couple garlic cloves (take out of the skin), a Tablespoon or so of the shallot oil, some fried shallots, and a Tablespoon of the spice mixture.

Serves 2 – 3, depending on the size of your cauliflower and whether you’re including meat – would also be delicious with golden raisins and/or toasted nuts (I’m thinking sliced almonds, pine nuts or pistachios)

Instant Pot Lamb with Gremolata

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I’ve been craving lamb a lot lately – not sure what’s behind that … maybe oncoming Spring? Is it possible to have Spring when one’s Winter doesn’t dip below 50 F?

Whatever it its, I’ve been wanting some slow cooked carnitas-style lamb in my life and recently found an electric pressure cooker — unfortunately not an Instant Pot since those don’t exist in this country yet, but it does the same thing.

gluten-free, keto, paleo

Instant Pot Lamb with Gremolata

3-5 lb. lamb roast
2 Tbsp. fat of choice
1/2 cup mixed shallots and garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 Tbsp. dried rosemary
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. onion powder
2 tsp. cumin
2 Tbsp. worcestershire sauce
1 cup beef broth
1/2 cup wine (red would be best; I had zinfandel – optional)
Salt & pepper

Gremolata

Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 c. olive oil
1/4 c. parsley
4 cloves garlic
Salt & pepper

Add 2 Tbsp. fat of choice to a large pan over medium-high heat. Salt and pepper the lamb liberally on all sides. Add the lamb and brown on 3 out of 4 sides. While cooking, mince the shallots and garlic and add when you’re mostly done with the lamb. Sautee until the lamb is browned and the aromatics are soft. Hit with a little salt and pepper.

Add to your pressure cooker with the rest of the ingredients and set the timer for 50 minutes.

When your lamb is done cooking, release the pressure, pull the lamb, and shred with forks. You will have a lot of liquid left over – make a pan sauce by reducing in a saucepan by half or so if desired. I was too lazy and was really craving gremolata.

Chuck the shredded lamb under the broiler with 1-2 additional Tablespoons fat for 5 – 7 minutes or until browned and crisped up a bit like carnitas.

On to the gremolata. Blend all the ingredients together. Pour over the lamb.

This is fantastic served with leftover spaghetti squash reheated and fried a bit in a little butter, salt & pepper. Spaghetti squash can also be cooked in the pressure cooker – and quickly. I think it took 15 minutes? Nom Nom Paleo has an easy recipe.

Keto Eggrolls

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Mmmmm….. eggrolls. Sushi. These are two things I kinda miss on Keto. Sure, sashimi is great – buuuuuuut I can eat my bodyweight in fresh fish, and that ish gets expensive.

I’ve got my favorite egg roll in a bowl recipes, but I wanted something a little different.

Gluten-free, paleo, Keto

Keto Eggrolls

About 4 ounces shrimp
1/2 an avocado
1/2 inch ginger
1 clove garlic
1 tsp. soy, tamari, coconut aminos or ponzu
2-3 sheets nori
A few Tablespoons frying oil

Dipping Sauce

2 tsp. rice vinegar
1 tsp. soy, tamari, coconut aminos or ponzu
1 tsp. grated ginger
1 clove garlic, grated
1 tsp. Sambal olek

Grate your ginger and garlic. Chop the shrimp. Peel and slice the avocado. In a medium pan over medium-high heat, warm a quarter of the frying oil.

Add the shrimp, garlic & ginger and stir-fry until cooked through. Set aside and wipe the pan.

Assemble the eggrolls by placing about 2 Tablespoons shrimp and a slice or two of avocado in the center of the nori sheet.

Gently roll the nori sheet, taking care to tuck the ends in like a burrito so you have an enclosed packet. If the nori rips a little, that’s ok – the frying will keep your eggroll mostly together.

Add the rest of the frying oil to the pan over medium-high heat.

When the oil comes up to temperature, place the eggrolls seam side down and fry 1-2 minutes or until crisp. Flip and fry. Be careful here not to burn your eggrolls to cinders – it’s easy. A little burned is fine; just no carbon.

To make your dipping sauce, combine all dipping sauce ingredients in a small dish.

Serves 1

Japanese Style Chicken & Cabbage Noodles

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This is a simple weeknight meal that can be expanded to feed a crowd easily – or can feed just two.

Gluten-free, paleo, keto

Japanese Style Chicken & Cabbage Noodles

1/2 lb. ground chicken
1/2 inch fresh ginger
3 cloves garlic
3 tsp. sesame seeds
4 Tbsp. neutral oil
1 Tbsp. + 2 tsp. sesame oil
1/4 head green cabbage
4 tsp. coconut aminos or soy sauce
2 tsp. rice vinegar
2 stalks celery
2 eggs
Salt
White pepper

Heat 2 Tbsp. Neutral oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken.

Press or grate the fresh ginger and garlic and add. Hit with salt and white pepper.

While your chicken is cooking, core and shred the cabbage into long ribbons.

When the chicken is cooked 3/4 of the way through, add 2 tsp. sesame oil & 2 tsp. sesame seeds.

Set aside when cooked through.

In the same pan still over medium-high heat, add 2 more Tbsp. oil. When the oil is up to temperature, add the cabbage noodles.

Stir-fry until soft and beginning to brown.

While the cabbage is working, cut your celery on the bias into 1/4 to 1/2 inch wide pieces. Break your eggs into a small bowl.

When the cabbage is just about done, season with salt & white pepper. Add 2 tsp. soy sauce and 2 tsp. rice vinegar at the end of cooking.

Set aside.

Put the pan back on the heat and add 1 Tbsp. sesame oil. When the oil is up to temperature, add the celery. Stir fry until tender and beginning to brown, adding a couple Tablespoons water if necessary.

When the celery is done, add the eggs. Let sit a few seconds, then gently start to scramble. Season with 2 tsp. soy sauce and 1 tsp. Sesame seeds.

Add the noodles and the chicken back into the pan and give a good toss. Hit with a sprinkle white pepper and some more salt if needed.

Serves 2 for dinner

Zaatar Chicken Zoodles with Garlic Cream

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Inspired by the flavors in my new home (and my dual new obsessions – nutty and rich zaatar and kicky and bright toum/garlic sauce), this dish is simple and quick to prepare – and bonus: low carb and utterly delicious. #winning

Gluten-free, paleo, keto

Zaatar Chicken Zoodles with Garlic Cream

1 lb. chicken thighs

1 zucchini

1 green onion

Cumin

Zaatar

1 hand full pistachios

2 Tbsp. fresh mint

Fat of choice

Salt & pepper

5 cloves garlic

Juice of 1 lemon

1 c. neutral oil (like sunflower)

1 egg white

White pepper

Icy water

First, make the toum (garlic sauce). Add the garlic, a sprinkle salt and half the lemon juice to a blender. Process until finely chopped, scraping the sides down as necessary.

Add the egg white. Blend.

Stream in half the neutral oil while blending – you should now have an emulsion.

Add the rest of the lemon juice & oil. Blend.

Add 1-2 Tbsp. of the ice water to make a nice and fluffy mixture. Sprinkle in some white pepper. Blend and add more salt if needed.

Now make the chicken. Cut your thighs into bite-sized pieces. Add to a large pan over medium-high heat with 2 Tbsp. fat of choice. Sprinkle with salt & black pepper. Add a lightish sprinkle of cumin. Add a liberal sprinkle of zaatar. Toss and cook until

Cooked through and crispy in bits.

While your chicken is going, zoodle the zucchini; chop the scallions, mint and pistachios and set all of that aside.

When the chicken is done, remove from the pan and set aside.

Put the pan back over medium-high, add a Tablespoon of fat, and bring up to temperature. Add the pistachios, stir, and add the zoodles. Sprinkle with salt & pepper. Toss to combine. Add the scallions, stir, and cook – stirring occasionally – until the zoodles are cooked to your liking. Add the mint at the last moment. Toss.

To serve, plate a big pile of zoodles, top with as much chicken as you want, and add a big blob of the garlic cream.

Serves 1 for dinner with lots of leftover chicken and garlic cream

Dairy-free Low Carb Beef Stroganoff

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For those of you that have been reading for awhile, I bet you can take a wild guess who is out of town. 🙂

We are a split household on the subject of mushrooms – they are one of my absolute favorite foods; something I can happily eat a pound or so of by myself on the regular. DH? Not so much. He likes the taste, but the texture weirds his mouth out.

I’m also too lazy to make a good pot of butter garlic mushrooms very often, so mushrooms are a sometimes treat food — mostly the second DH goes out of town. Mushrooms, shrimp (which I had for dinner yesterday) and asparagus (which I have not yet seen in stores here).

This version has been mostly caged from a good Nerd friend (shoutout to Fonzico) on her fourth? fifth? Whole30 who raves about this recipe. I’m starting a second pass at keto, so thought it was the perfect time to try.

gluten-free, paleo, Whole30, keto

Dairy-free Low Carb Beef Stroganoff

1 lb. stew beef
1/2 head green cabbage
1 lb. sliced button mushrooms
8 ounces crimini mushrooms
1 can full-fat coconut milk
2 Tbsp. ghee
1 small onion
3 cloves garlic
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 Tbsp. fish sauce (check labels)
1 Tbsp. coconut aminos or worcestershire sauce (check labels)
2 c. bone broth or stock
2 Tbsp. fresh thyme + a few extra sprigs
Salt & pepper to taste (I used Himalayan pink salt)
Extra butter or ghee if you need more fat for serving

First, get your aromatics going. Mince the onion and garlic, de-stem about 2 Tbsp. thyme and chop. Add to a large pot with 2 Tbsp. ghee. Sautee on medium-low while you prep the rest of the ingredients, stirring occasionally so you don’t burn the mixture.

While your aromatics are going, cut your cabbage into ribbons, wash your mushrooms, and gather the rest of your ingredients.

When your ingredients are ready to go, add the aminos/worcestershire, tomato paste, and fish sauce to the pot. Stir to combine.

Add the whole mushrooms. Stir.

Add the beef, sliced mushrooms, coconut milk, stock or broth, cabbage and a few thyme sprigs. Stir. Kick the heat up to medium-ish, cover, and simmer 30 minutes.

Uncover and simmer 45 minutes or until the liquid is halved.

Serve up, salt as needed, and add more fat if your macros call for it.

Serves 2 for dinner + 1 for lunch