Tag: paleo

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

Pork Ragu With Roasted Veg

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This is a simple to throw together dinner that’s pretty damn hands-off. Perfect for nights when you have a million things to do before dinner hits the table and not enough hours to do them.

Gluten-free, paleo, Whole30

  

Pork Ragu with Roasted Veg

2 lbs. boneless pork shoulder
28-ounce can diced fire roasted tomatoes
14-ounce can tomato sauce
1 medium onion
4 cloves garlic
1 sprig rosemary
3-4 sage leaves
Big pinch red pepper flakes
Kosher salt & black pepper
1-2 lbs. root veggies (I used a mixture of golden beets & rutabaga)
Fat of choice

To make the pork, chop the onion and add to your slow cooker. Chop the garlic and add. Chop the rosemary and sage and add. Add the red pepper flakes. Add the pork. Pour in the tomatoes and tomato sauce. Sprinkle with a couple big pinches salt & a few cracks black pepper. Let cook on High 6 hours.

To make the veggies, preheat your oven to 400F. Wash and chop the root veg into 1/2-inch or so pieces. Toss with a good slug of your favorite fat (I used some reserved chicken fat from the night before) and spread out on a cookie sheet or your largest oven-safe pan. Roast 20 minutes, stir, and roast another 20 or until soft and caramelized in spots.

When the meat is finished, shred with tongs or two forks and serve over the veggies.

Serves 4

Indian Spice Salad with Chili Tamarind Sauce

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This dish is based on a nacho recipe – while it doesn’t end up being nachos, it does end up being tasty and healthy. And bonus: it’s Whole30-compliant.

Gluten-free, paleo, Whole30. 

 

Indian Spice Salad with Chili Tamarind Sauce

Based on Indian Nachos from Tasting Table

Salad

1 lb. baby potatoes
1 cucumber
1/4 onion
2c. broccoli slaw
1 small carrot
1 thumb fresh ginger
1/4 golden beet
1 bunch snap peas
Pomegranate molasses

Chili Tamarind Sauce

1 can full fat coconut milk, put in the fridge so the cream rises to the top
1 lemon
2 tsp. chili powder
1.5 tsp. tamarind concentrate

Indian Spiced Chicken

1 chicken thigh per person
Chana masala
Kosher salt
Ghee

First, put the potatoes on. Rinse and toss into a pot with a few big sprinkles salt. Boil 10 minutes. Drain when ready.

Then make the sauce: combine about a 1/4 of a cup of coconut milk fat with the juice of half a lemon, a couple pinches Kosher salt, the chili powder and tamarind. Whisk or blend to combine and stash in the fridge while making the rest of dinner.

Move to the salad: de-tipping and chopping the snap peas, dicing the carrot, de-seeding and dicing the cucumber, dicing the beet, mincing the ginger, and dicing the onion. Toss with the juice of half a lemon and a couple big pinches Kosher salt + the broccoli slaw. Add the potatoes when done cooking and toss.

Dust the chicken with chana masala spice and sprinkle with Kosher salt. Sauté over medium high in a Tablespoon or so of ghee.

When the chicken is done and rested, chop and add to the salad. Drizzle with pomegranate molasses and the chili tamarind sauce.

Serves 4 – 6

 

Charred Chili Brussels Turkey Bowl

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This recipe is full of flavor, paleo, and just enough substance for a nice dinner bowl. Were I you, I’d make sure to check out the recipe this one is based off of – I completely forgot two ingredients that would have completely changed the flavor profile of this dish. It’s great as presented here – and would have been great-but-different had I remembered the Tabasco and vinegar.

Gluten-free, paleo, Whole30

 

Charred Chili Brussels Turkey Bowl

Adapted from Charred Cauliflower w/Garlics, Tabasco Vinegar from Lady & Pups

1 lb. brussels sprouts
1 lb. ground turkey
5 cloves garlic
4 Tbsp. fish sauce
Red chili flakes
1/4 c. avocado or other oil
White pepper
Kosher salt
2 Tbsp. onion powder
2 Tbsp. garlic powder

First, set your garlic up. Peel and smash the cloves – brine in 2 Tbsp. fish sauce for 20 – 30 minutes.

While your garlic is brining, halve the brussels and scatter onto a sheet pan. Set broiler to High.

When the garlic has brined, transfer the garlic (set the fish sauce aside) to a small pot with the oil and a few pinches red pepper flakes. Let fry over med-low heat until the garlic is golden brown and soft. Remove the garlic to its own little bowl. Add the reserved fish sauce + a couple sprinkles white pepper to the oil and pour over the brussels.

Broil 5 – 6 minutes or until charred in spots; flip and repeat. Sprinkle with Kosher salt.

While the brussels are working, add the turkey + a little oil to a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add a couple pinches red pepper flakes, a dusting of white pepper, the onion powder, garlic powder and a pinch or two of Kosher salt. Sauté until cooked through, stirring and breaking up as you go. Add 2 Tbsp. fish sauce, stir to combine, and let cook another minute or two.

Toss in the brussels and reserved brined garlic.

Serves 2 for dinner

Flank Steak with Paleo Chipotle Crema

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This is a great sauce. Creamy, fatty, spicy, smoky and delicious. Plus: it’s paleo (and vegan)!

Gluten-free, paleo, Whole30

  

Flank Steak with Paleo Chipotle Crema

1-2 lbs. flank steak
1 c. water
1/2 c. raw cashews
1 chipotle + adobo sauce
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
Juice of half a lemon
Kosher salt
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. white miso (optional)
1/4 c. avocado oil

First, prep your cashews. Boil the water (I nuked for 2 minutes) and add the cashews. Let soak anywhere from 30 minutes to 8 hours.

When your cashews have soaked and it’s time to make dinner, start with the steak. Sprinkle with Kosher salt and black pepper and lay on a prepped cookie sheet. Broil on High for 3-4 minutes or until desired doneness is reached. Pull and let rest 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

To make the sauce: Blend the cashews (reserve the water), chipotle, tomato paste, lemon juice, 2 big pinches Kosher salt, garlic powder, white miso if you want. Drizzle in about a quarter cup of the cashew water to get things moving – and then about a quarter of a cup of oil if your desired consistency is not reached. I started off blending in the food processor, wasn’t getting the creaminess I wanted, and moved on to the Vitamix for a smoother puree.

Serves 2 – 4

Sweet Hot Pork & Broccoli Bowl

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This is more Asian-leaning than my usual pulled pork, and I’m happy that it turned out well. This dish is dead simple to make, filling but not overly so, and comes together quickly for nights when you have more things to do than hours.

Gluten-free, paleo (check labels!)

  

Sweet Hot Pork & Broccoli Bowl

Based on Sweet and Spicy Pork Shoulder with Sesame Cucumbers by How Sweet Eats

For The Pork

2 – 3 lbs. pork shoulder
1 Tbsp. hoisin sauce
1 Tbsp. chili garlic paste
1/4 c. coconut aminos
2 big pinches Kosher salt
1/4 tsp. white pepper
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. onion powder
2 tsp. sesame oil

Combine in a large crock pot and cook on High 6 hours. Shred.

For The Broccoli Bowl

1 crown broccoli
2 Tbsp. fat of choice
2 tsp. ketjap manis
2 tsp. sesame oil
1 Tbsp. fish sauce
2 tsp. sriracha
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. onion powder
1/4 c. water

Cut the broccoli and stem into bite-sized pieces.

Heat the fat in a large skillet over medium heat. When the fat comes up to temperature, add the broccoli and sprinkle with a big pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the broccoli no longer looks straight raw.

Add the rest of the ingredients, minus the water, and cook – stirring frequently – until just beginning to soften. Add the water to de-glaze the pan and steam the broccoli and continue cooking until the water evaporates and the broccoli is done to your liking.

Serve the pork over the broccoli.

Feeds 2 for dinner + 1 for lunch with pork left over

Thai-ribbean Spaghetti Squash Casserole

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This dish makes a nice weeknight meal that can stand up to the fridge for multi-night repeats.

Paleo, gluten-free

  

Thai-ribbean Spaghetti Squash Casserole

Based on Thai Ground Beef & Spaghetti Squash Casserole by My Heart Beets

1 spaghetti squash
1 Tbsp. fat of choice
1 onion
1-2 habaneros
5 large cloves garlic
1-inch knob ginger
1 Tbsp. green curry paste
1 lb. ground meat
1 green bell pepper
8 ounces mushrooms (optional)
2 Tbsp. fish sauce
2 tsp. coconut nectar
2 Tbsp. coconut aminos
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
4 eggs
Kosher salt
Few cracks black pepper
Green onions (garnish: optional)

Spaghetti Your Squash

Halve your spaghetti squash lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, and prick the backs with a fork a few times. Place cut side down in a dish large enough to seat them and deep enough to accommodate a couple Tablespoons full of water. Cover with plastic wrap and nuke 15 – 20 minutes or until soft. Let sit to cool.

Make The Rest Of The Casserole

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Chop the onions. De-seed and mince the chilis. In a large pan, heat the oil over medium. Add the onion, chilis and a pinch of salt.

While the onions are cooking, mince the garlic and ginger. Add to the pan when the onions are translucent.

Let cook 1 – 2 minutes. Add the curry paste, a big pinch salt and a few cracks pepper. Mix well. Add the ground meat. Brown.

While the beef is browning, chop the green pepper and mushrooms (if using).

When the beef is almost done, add the fish sauce, coconut nectar, coconut aminos, cinnamon and nutmeg. Give everything a hearty stir, and add the green pepper and mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes or until the peppers begin to soften and the mushrooms begin to cook down.

While your peppers and mushrooms are working, shred the spaghetti squash flesh with a fork to form long strands. Mix the strands in with the meat mixture.

Whisk the eggs and add to the meat mixture. Toss to combine.

Spread out in a large baking dish. Bake at 350 for 30 – 40 minutes, or until golden brown on top.

Garnish with chopped green onions.

Serves 4

Paleo Buffalo Chicken Casserole

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OMFG this is good. And what’s not to love? Bacon, sweet potatoes and hot sauce = <3<3<3.

A note on sweet potatoes: I used Japanese white sweet potatoes, and I’m glad I did. Japanese sweet potatoes bake up creamier than standard orangey potatoes, and tend to be a touch lower on the sweetness scale than garnet yams. 

Gluten-free, paleo

  

Paleo Buffalo Chicken Casserole

Based on Paleo Sweet Potato Buffalo Chicken Casserole by Preppy Paleo

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 sweet potatoes
2 carrots
4 stalks celery
1 Tbsp. paprika
2 Tbsp. garlic powder
1/3 c. Frank’s hot sauce
2 tsp. coconut nectar or maple syrup
1/4 c. melted butter
Bacon – enough to make about a cup when cooked and crumbled
4 scallions

Preheat your oven to 425 F.

Grease a large baking dish or casserole.

In a large bowl, combine the paprika, garlic powder, hot sauce, sweet stuff and butter. Chop the carrots and celery and add to the bowl. Peel and chop the sweet potatoes into roughly 1-inch cubes and add to the bowl. Chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces and add to the bowl. Toss to combine. Pour into the baking dish.

Bake for 45 – 55 minutes (or until the chicken is done), stirring every 15-20 minutes.

While the chicken mix is cooking, brown the bacon, drain and crumble. Chop the scallions. When the chicken is cooked through, top the casserole with the bacon and green onions and bake an additional 5 minutes.

Serves 4