paleo – Page 26 – Gastography

Whipped Garlic Brussels Sprouts

February 14, 2015February 14, 2015RecipesLeave a Comment

This is me attempting to re-create a mind-blowing brunch side dish I had awhile back – and mostly succeeding. This isn’t quite the same, but it’s still pretty fantastic and gives me a good excuse to re-visit Marietta for another taste.

Gluten-free, vegetarian, paleo

Whipped Garlic Brussels Sprouts

1 pound brussels sprouts
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Black pepper
1 head garlic
1 clove garlic
2 tsp. granulated garlic
2 tsp. olive oil
2 tsp. ghee

First, you’ll need that head of garlic to be caramelized. Chop the top (non root) end off, drizzle with a little olive oil, wrap in foil, and bake at 400 degrees F for 45 minutes.

Remove from the oven and unwrap to cool.

On to the brussels. Wash your brussels, cut the stem ends off, and halve or quarter (you want them all a uniform size). Add to a cast iron skillet. Toss with 2 good glugs of olive oil, a couple generous pinches of Kosher salt and a few grinds black pepper.

Bake at 400 for 30 minutes, or until roasted and browned.

While your brussels are going, add the caramelized garlic, fresh garlic (grated), granulated garlic, 2 tsp. olive oil, 2 tsp. ghee, and a couple more pinches of Kosher salt to a small bowl (or mortar) and mash together to form a paste.

When the brussels are done, add the paste and toss to combine. Taste, and add a bit more salt if needed.

Serves 2, maybe 3 as a side dish

Unstuffed Cabbage Roll Casserole

February 7, 2015February 7, 2015RecipesLeave a Comment

Mmmmmm … cabbage rolls. I remember the cabbage rolls of my childhood fondly – except I never thought they had enough cabbage. I would have been happy if my mother served equal parts cabbage, ground beef and tomatoes. The rice I liked, but nowadays don’t need.

This recipe is cobbled together from different Internet sources, but draws mostly on inspiration from a recipe I found on Health-Bent.

Gluten-free, paleo, Whole30

Unstuffed Cabbage Roll Casserole

1 head green cabbage
1 Tbsp. ghee
1/2 lb. ground beef
1/2 lb. ground pork
2 big hot Italian sausages
2 Tbsp. onion powder
3 Tbsp. granulated garlic
2 Tbsp. Hungarian paprika
2 tsp. ground cumin
Koser salt & pepper
1 (14 ounce) can fire roasted diced tomatoes
2 tsp. apple cider vinegar

Preheat your oven to 350 F.

Core your cabbage and cut into thin ribbons. Boil in a large pot of salted water for 10 minutes. Drain and toss with a few sprinkles salt.

While that is working, brown your meats in the ghee. Add the spices and combine. Let go a few additional minutes. Add the tomatoes and vinegar and mix well.

In a large casserole or baking dish, layer your cabbage with meaty tomato mixture – I used a large glass baking dish and had two layers of cabbage with one layer of meat. Do whatever makes you happy.

Bake 1 hour or until the top is browned and everything looks casserole-y. Let sit 30 minutes before serving so the juices can distribute evenly.

Serves 4 fairly comfortably.

Sesame Ginger Chicken Zoodles

January 31, 2015January 31, 2015Recipes1 Comment

This dish is quick to throw together, uses minimal ingredients I usually have on hand anyways, and is waaaaay better than takeout. A win/win/win situation.

Paleo, Gluten-free, Whole30

Sesame Ginger Chicken Zoodles

1 large zucchini
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 Tbsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. grated fresh ginger
1/4 tsp. white pepper
1 tsp. red chili flakes
1/4 cup toasted cashews

Sauce

2 Tbsp. sesame seeds
2 Tbsp. rice vinegar (which is surprisingly W30 compliant)
2 Tbsp. coconut aminos
1 Tbsp. grated ginger
2 cloves grated garlic
1 Tbsp. tahini
2 Tbsp. sesame oil
1/4 tsp. white pepper

Heat 1 Tbsp. sesame oil in a large pan over medium-high. Chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces and add to the pan. Add the rest of the chicken ingredients and stir-fry until the chicken is cooked through and browned.

While your chicken is working, make your zoodles (I absolutely love my Gefu spiralizer for this). In a small bowl, whisk the sauce ingredients together.

To serve, toss the chicken with the zoodles and sauce.

Serves 2 for dinner

Caramelized Onion Meatballs

January 24, 2015January 24, 2015RecipesLeave a Comment

This is based on a recipe posted by one of my Nerd Fitness Whole 30 partners in crime – Fonzico. Her version adds cauliflower and egg as a meatball binder (think breadcrumbs and egg in “regular” meatballs) and sounds delicious as well. I couldn’t find cauliflower at the store this week, so made these balls using my general method.

And they came out well. A little sweet from the onions, moist and light from the added ingredients and pretty perfect atop a pile of zoodles drizzled with some nice aged balsamic vinegar. As reported by the hubbs, they are also good with leftover baked ziti.

Gluten-free, paleo, Whole 30

Caramelized Onion Meatballs

1 lb. grass fed ground beef
1 medium onion
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. water
1 Tbsp. ghee
Salt & pepper

First, we’ve got to knock those onions out. Peel and dice your onion and add to a medium-high pan with the ghee. Sauté until just beginning to brown, bring the heat to low, and let go about 45 minutes (stirring every once in awhile) or until the onions are sticky, broken down and a deep caramel color – if your pan gets too dry at any time, add a little water and stir. Let cool.

Preheat your oven to 375 F and line a baking sheet with foil.

Combine the onions with the rest of the ingredients, making sure to not overmix. Form into ping pong sized meatballs, placing the finished balls on the sheet as you go.

Bake 25 minutes or until browned and cooked through.

Serve with zoodles & balsamic for a simple dinner. Makes enough for 2-3.

Instant Pot Green Curry Chicken

January 17, 2015May 17, 2015Recipes2 Comments

This is the second meal I made with my new Instant Pot, and I’ve got to say I’m digging it. I’m still not sure where it will fit in with my beloved crock pot (I think it can replace it), but I’m liking it. This dinner came together quickly, the broth was flavorful, and the flavors married a bit.

I served this dish with the Oven Roasted Cauliflower Rice from The Clothes Make The Girl. This rice method wasn’t bad – the cauli got a little nutty from the heat, and it was a hands-off cooking approach.

Gluten-free, paleo, Whole30

Instant Pot Green Curry Chicken

Curry
4 chicken thighs (boneless skinless), cut into cubes
1 Tbsp. diced ginger
1 onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 carrots, roughly chopped
1 Tbsp. fish sauce (Red Boat)
2 Tbsp. green curry paste (Thai Garden is compliant)
1 can coconut milk
2 Tbsp. coconut oil
2 Tbsp. lime juice

Topper
1 big radish, diced
2 Tbsp. cilantro, minced
1/4 c. almonds, toasted and crushed

Press the Saute button to preheat the cooker. When “Hot” appears on the display, add the coconut oil and brown your meat. Add the garlic, onion, ginger, and curry paste; sauté a few minutes more.

Add the coconut milk, carrots, lime juice and fish sauce and seat the lid on the pressure cooker.

Press the Manual button and use the – button to program 15 minutes cooking time.

While your curry is working, make the topper and your rice.

Toast the almonds and chop. Dice the radish. Mince the cilantro. Toss together with a little salt. Your rice cooks at 425 F for 20 minutes (stir after 10).

When the finished beep sounds, it is best to let the machine release its pressure naturally if possible (takes about 20 minutes). Always check to make sure the pressure valve has dropped before removing the lid. If you can’t/don’t want to wait that long, follow the Instant Pot directions on safe lid removal.

Serves 2 for dinner

Instant Pot Pulled Pork

January 10, 2015January 10, 2015Recipes13 Comments

My DH bought me a new toy this Christmas: the Instant Pot. So far, I’m a fan. I’ve made bone broth, which was as delicious as it was quick; this pork, which was really good and way quicker than my slow-cooker method; and a tasty little Thai curry dish I’ll be sharing soon.

And, since this thing cooks so quickly, I have enough extra broth on hand to finally have a go-to stockpile. Whoo hoo!

Gluten-free, paleo, Whole30

Instant Pot Pulled Pork with Spiced Roasted Parsnips

Pork
3-4 lbs. pork shoulder, trimmed of skin
1/2 c. broth
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp. fish sauce (Red Boat is W30 compliant)
1 Tbsp. chipotle powder
2 Tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
10 grinds black pepper
2 Tbsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. onion powder
2 Tbsp. coconut oil

Parsnips
1 lb. bag parsnips
2 Tbsp. Ras el Hanout spice mixture
2 tsp. hot Hungarian paprika
2 tsp. walnut oil
Big pinch salt

Press the Saute button to preheat the cooker. When “Hot” appears on the display, add the coconut oil and brown your meat.

Add the spices and liquids and seat the lid on the pressure cooker.

Press the Manual button and use the + button to program 90 minutes cooking time.

While your pork is working, make the parsnips. Preheat your oven to 450 F and line a baking sheet with foil.

Cut parsnips into 3-inch sticks.

Toss on the baking sheet with the oil and spices and spread evenly, making sure all are in a single layer.

When the oven is heated, bake 10 minutes, flip, and bake an additional 10 minutes.

Crispy Lemon-Thyme Brussels Sprouts

December 22, 2014December 29, 2014RecipesLeave a Comment

Mmmmmmm…… lil baby cabbages. If you haven’t noticed, I love brussels sprouts. Luckily, so does my DH – so we have them quite often around here; generally just cooked simply with a little bacon grease or ghee and tossed with mustard. And they’re delicious.

But this time I wanted to go French-ish and wanted some crunchy bits to serve as a contrast for the wine-braised short ribs I made.

This recipe was intended to serve as a side for two, but as providence would have it the hubbs was called away at the last minute, and I got to eat the whole damn thing myself. And eat it all I did. With delight.

Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten-free, Paleo, Whole30

Crispy Lemon-Thyme Brussels Sprouts

1 bunch brussels sprouts (I had about 2c)
1 Tbsp. coconut oil
Kosher salt & pepper
1/4 a preserved lemon
2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
Preheat your oven to 400 F.

Rinse the brussels and quarter or halve so you end up with roughly half inch portions. Toss in the coconut oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Arrange on your baking sheet – making sure not to crowd – so that you have room for air to circulate between each piece. Bake 10 mins, stir and bake another 10 minutes. Check. If they’re crispy now, great, take them out. If not, let go a couple more minutes until they’re crispy but not incinerated.

While the brussels are working, mince your preserved lemon (you want 2 Tbsp.) and chop the thyme (1-2 Tbsp.).

When the brussels are ready, toss with the lemon and thyme and serve.

Allegedly serves 2

Rosemary And Preserved Lemon Pork Stir-Fry

December 6, 2014December 29, 2014RecipesLeave a Comment

This week’s recipe was a fluke. Not what I’d planned (though, admittedly, I didn’t have much in the way of a plan). My DH got called out to work and wouldn’t be home for dinner, so I grabbed bits and bobs left over in the fridge and cobbled something together. I had originally thought to go Asian in inspiration, since that’s my most comfortable fallback – but then I saw the half-dead packet of rosemary sadly staring at me from the cheese drawer and knew I should use that instead.

So behold – a Fr-talin-ican inspired stir-fry using up some fridge staples. And a glimpse into the kind of flavor experiments I conduct when I’m alone – inspiration totally cribbed from this great series on Lady and Pups.

Gluten-free, paleo & Whole30

Rosemary And Preserved Lemon Pork Stir-Fry

6 ounces thinly sliced pork chops, cut into strips
2 medium carrots, sliced on the bias about 1/8″ thick
2 stalks celery, sliced on the bias about 1/8″ thick
1 tsp cumin
1 sprig rosemary, chopped
1-2 Tbsp. preserved lemon, minced
1 Tbsp. coconut oil
Salt & pepper

Heat a cast iron skillet or other large pan over medium-high heat and add the oil. Add the carrots and cook, stirring frequently, 2 minutes or until they look like they’re beginning to soften (I prepped my celery, rosemary and lemons here).

Add the celery and cook, stirring frequently, a couple of minutes (I prepped the rest of my ingredients here).

Add the pork, 2 big sprinkles salt, a few grinds black pepper and the cumin and toss.

Cook, stirring frequently, until the carrots are browned and soft and the pork is cooked through.

Serves 1 for dinner

Bacon-Wrapped Butternut Squash

November 29, 2014December 29, 2014RecipesLeave a Comment

I, dear friends, have been saddled with a squash nonbeliever.

I did it to myself, really. I *knew* my DH harbored this character flaw way back when he was only ‘the boyfriend’, and chose to ignore it – to deal with this injustice later; to blindly turn my eye to the potential battleground that would become dinner and forge ahead.

This squash distainer sits at my dinner table (who am I kidding? the couch) every night during the fall, hoping whatever huge wintery monstrosity made my eyes shiny at the grocery store/farmers’ market the weekend before is not making an appearance on his plate. And then it does, and the poor guy does what he can with it. Funky textures, sweetly savory tastes and all.

This dish is an olive branch of sorts – a peace offering for the many, many hashes and roasted lumps of undesirables I make my longsuffering DH consume each year when the mercury dips below 50. For the broken promises of crispiness; the bait-and-switches that come when silky purees don’t have the expected flavor profile.

Who doesn’t love bacon? And if you have to eat squash to get it, maybe that bacon fat-basted root veggie won’t be so bad.

Gluten-free, paleo, Whole30 if you luck up and can get compliant bacon

Bacon-Wrapped Butternut Squash

1/2 a large butternut squash
6 slices bacon
Salt
Pepper
Chili powder

Preheat your oven to 400 F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Now attack your squash. Peel with a vegetable peeler, lop off the ends and cut into half width-wise (you should have two big hunks of squash – 1 with seeds and 1 without). Cut your seedless half into half again and then into large fry looking wedges.

Reserve the other half for another purpose (a nice hash, perhaps).

Cut your bacon into half so you end up with 12 slices.

Wrap a slice of bacon per wedge – my large butternut yielded 12 good wedges; perfect for the amount of bacon I had on hand. When wrapping, make sure both ends wind up on the same side and put that side down on the prepared baking sheet.

Sprinkle with chili powder, salt and pepper.

Bake for 30 minutes (or until the squash is soft and the bacon is done), kick your broiler up to high, and broil 5 minutes on each side to finish crisping the bacon and brown the edges of the squash.

Serves 3

Delicata, Pomegranate & Arugula Salad

November 22, 2014RecipesLeave a Comment

This salad is sweet, tart, fatty & salty and strikes a great balance between the carbs & fat you want when the weather turns cold, and more virtuous things like fresh greens.

Vegetarian, vegan & paleo with omissions; gluten-free with none

Delicata, Pomegranate & Arugula Salad

1 delicata squash
Arugula
1 pomegranate
Pecorino, romano or other salty aged cheese
Pomegranate molasses
Optional pulled meat of some sort – I used pork like this, this would also be fantastic
Olive oil
Salt & pepper

First, start your squash.

Preheat your oven to 425 F. Line a cookie sheet with foil.

Slice the ends off your squash and push the seeds out with a spoon. Slice into 1/4-inch rounds.

Lay squash rounds in a single layer on your prepared sheet – making sure not to crowd; brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt & pepper.

Bake 20 minutes, flip, and bake another 20 minutes or until browned and nutty on both sides.

While the squash is working, de-seed your pomegranate (my favorite method is to roll the pomegranate on a cutting board to loosen the seeds, cut in half, and whack with the back of a wooden spoon. Not only cathartic, this method is really quick and only a little splattery).

Reheat your pork (I prefer crisping it up a bit either under the broiler or in a pan on the stovetop) and gather the rest of your ingredients.

When the squash is crisped, pull from the oven and start assembling your salad. I used about a cup of arugula, 6-8 slices of squash, a hand full of pomegranate arils, a Tablespoon or so of cheese, and a drizzle of pomegranate molasses. Enjoy.

Depending upon the size of your squash, serves 2-4. My squash was on the small side and I was hungry, so it served 2.

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