Tag: paleo

Paleo Summer Squash & Almond Fritters

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Score! This recipe a: used up 2 big zucchini from my overabundant CSA squash stash, and b: was tolerated (possibly even enjoyed) by my poor, long-suffering zucchini-averse DH. I call that a success in my book. And, since it’s a relatively quick and delicate-tasting side that can be dressed a bunch of different ways, I’m calling this the LBD of zucchini dinners.

I think I’ll be making it a bunch throughout the rest of this squash season.

Gluten-free, paleo, whole30, ovo vegetarian

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Paleo Summer Squash & Almond Fritters

2 large zucchini or other summer squash (I used overgrown pattypan squash)
Onion (I used 5 large red spring onions – bulbs and lower stalks only)
1/2 cup almond flour
1/4 cup parsley (this week’s CSA held curly parsley)
1 tsp. + sea salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
4 Tbsp. coconut oil

Shred your squash and add to a colander to drain. Sprinkle with sea salt and let sit 20 minutes to draw some of the water out.

Shred the onion while you’re waiting and add to a large bowl. Chop the parsley. Add the almond flour, egg, parsley, 1 tsp. salt and black pepper to the bowl.

When your squash is done hanging out, squeeze all the water you can from it and add 2 cups to the bowl. Mix well to combine and shape into patties. For this amount, I got 6 large patties.

Heat the coconut oil your largest skillet over medium-high heat. Once the hot oil has reached the temperature that a drop of water sputters when it hits the pan, gently add the patties – leaving room between each so they don’t steam. Cook 3-4 minutes per side, or until nicely deeply browned.

 

Serves 2 for dinner + 1 for lunch as a side

What To Do With A Box Of Vegetables: Paisley Farm CSA Box 8

Categories Paleo On A BudgetLeave a Comment on What To Do With A Box Of Vegetables: Paisley Farm CSA Box 8

This year’s CSA is from Paisley Farm, a 25-acre operation located in Tivoli, NY. Paisley Farm grows organically and plants with the chef in mind. The 22-week CSA runs from June – October and I purchased the standard vegetable share. This share includes 8-9 vegetables and herbs per week (8-12 pounds) – enough to provide a family of three with 3-4 dinners’ worth of veg. The price equals out to $25 per week, the cost of which will be accounted for in my weekly Adventures In Budget Paleo Cooking posts.

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Paisley Farm 2014 CSA Box 8

Green romaine lettuce (1 head)
Green/red leaf lettuce (1 head)
Dandelion greens (1 bunch)
Leeks (3)
Bush basil (1 big bunch)
Garlic (3 stalks)
Zucchinis (4-5)
Cucumbers (a crapton)

 

Leftover From Last Week

Carrots (non-CSA)
Cucumber
Spring garlic
Spring onions
Beets
Lettuce
Zucchini
Garlic scapes
Parsley
Kale
Chard

 

How I Used My Share

I used up the zucchini, parsley and garlic scapes in a tomato-less zucchini salsa verde, which I served with a quick stir-fry of the kale, chard & 1 head of baby garlic and pork chops.

For breakfast one day, I had leftover zucchini salsa with half an avocado and sliced cucumber as the “chip”.

I had a big lunch salad, using up some cucumber and beet one day.

I had a big salad, using up some lettuce and cucumber + a side of sauteed leeks with steaks one night.

I made a cucumber gazpacho with a bunch of the cukes for dinner.

I plan to use a bunch of cucumbers, as well as the last of the spring onions in tonight’s dinner. Fingers crossed that we don’t get spring onions again this week!

The bush basil was wasted – it turned black within two days and I just wasn’t fast enough. Boo!

My Favorite Dish From This Box

The zucchini salsa verde was pretty good and I’ve ended up eating it here and there all week.

Next Week

Going into next week, I have aging carrots, two pathetic looking heads of lettuce, 1 sad bunch of dandelion greens, a few beets, some zucchini and cucumber left over. I think fridge pickles are in order for some of those cukes and I need to buckle down and force myself back onto the lunch salad train.

Adventures In Budget Paleo Cooking – Week of July 28 – August 1

Categories Paleo On A BudgetLeave a Comment on Adventures In Budget Paleo Cooking – Week of July 28 – August 1

Paleo-On-A-Budget-Header

A number of people I know are completely flabbergasted when contemplating sticking to a budget while eating a primarily “paleo” diet. I’m hoping to shed a little light on that issue for those of you on the fence about eating healthfully in this manner – it *can* be done – and done well – without spending all the money. All it takes is a little planning. 

A little background: I live in Brooklyn, NY, and the grocery prices here are definitely not the same as what you will find in other areas of the country. If you live in say, Raleigh NC for example – you may very well be able to cut this grocery bill by a third, depending upon where you shop. For where I live, where I shop and what I buy, $100 a week is a doable budget without having to sacrifice the quality I want too much. My DH thinks $130 is probably more realistic with our morning smoothie supplies, but I want to shoot for $100. I aim to make 4-5 dinners for two and 5 lunches per week, plus two smoothies per day six days of the week with my budgetary allowance and update you all weekly on what’s going on. Let’s see if I can make it. 

—

My CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) shares are going strong, so I will be doing things a little differently with the vegetable portion of my meal planning for the next few months (until October). My share averages out to $25 a week, which will come off the top of my budget allotment and will comprise the bulk of my non-smoothie-related vegetable purchases. If you’re curious to see how I use my CSA veggies up, check out my What To Do With A Box Of Vegetables posts.

Current Box of CSA Veggies

Menu for Last Week (Week of July 21 – 25)

The Plan vs. Reality

This week’s meal planning was efficient – I ended up making pretty much what I set out to make.

Monday

  • The Plan – Meat crust zucchini quiche
  • Reality – Yum.

Tuesday

  • The Plan – Zucchini soup with some sort of meat
  • Reality – This was pretty great – the hubbs liked the soup. I served with bulgogi style beef, which didn’t go but was tasty.

Wednesday

  • The Plan – Zucchini salsa verde with pork chops
  • Reality – This actually tasted like salsa verde. Weird but good. I served with kale & chard & baby garlic to use some veggies up.

Thursday

  • The Plan – Meat with CSA veggies
  • Reality – I bought tri-tip steak and served with a big plate of veggies

Friday

  • The Plan – Eat out
  • Reality – That happened.

Lunches

  • The Plan – Salads & leftovers
  • Reality – Lunches this week were light on salads and heavy on leftovers again. My lettuce got used – but barely.

Extras

  • The Plan – Nothing.
  • Reality – Nothing made.

 

This Week: July 28 – August 1

I have leftover CSA veggies this week and $75 to spend on groceries. This week I sent the hubbs shopping alone. Let’s see how he did.

This Week’s Proposed Menu

  • Monday: Cucumber tuna salad
  • Tuesday: Basil cucumber gazpacho with chicken tenders
  • Wednesday: Big salad with steaks and maybe leek butter
  • Thursday: Meat with CSA veggie
  • Friday: Meat with CSA veggie or dine out
  • Lunch: CSA veg salads, leftovers
  • Extras: Pickles or veggie stock if I have enough leftover

Shopping List & Cost Breakout

Grocery Store Key: TJ = Trader Joe’s, O = Optional if budget allows

Shopping List

Coconut oil
Coconut milk ($0.99 x 2 @ TJs)
Olive oil – If no coconut oil ($3.99 @ TJs)

Avocado ($4.17 @ TJs)
cilantro ($1.79 @ TJs)
egg ($3.99 @ TJs)
lime ($1.69 @ TJs)
Green pepper ($0.99 @ TJs)
basil ($2.69 @ TJs)
Tomatoes ($6.99 @ TJs)

Chichherrones – did not get

Chicken strips ($7.03 @ TJs)
Steaks ($14.03 @ TJs)
A meat (ground beef – $6.99 @ TJs)

Coffee ($9.99 @ TJs)
Smoothie Supplies – $25 est
 
2 bags kale – ($2.29 x 2 @ TJs)
1 bag spinach – ($1.99 @ TJs)
5 apples – ($3.95 @ TJs)
3 avocados – ($4.17 @ TJs)
coconut water – ($3.69 @ TJs)
ginger – ($1.39 @ TJs)
 

Extras: None.

Total TJ: $81.92

Total For The Week: $81.92; $6.92 over budget. Boo. Over budget. We’ve been doing well with being under lately, so I’m not terribly worried – but I don’t like it. Still, he did pretty good – much better than pre budget. Technically, we could roll the coffee into another budget – but I will let it stick. Pretty good for spending $7 on fancy tomatoes.

Pantry/items repurposed from last week: fats, spices, CSA veggies. 

Roasted Beet & Chard Greens aka “CSA Cleanup”

Categories CSA Shares, Recipes1 Comment on Roasted Beet & Chard Greens aka “CSA Cleanup”

Did you get a mess of beets in your CSA box this week? Want to know what to do with all those random greens? Roast them! This recipe saves beautifully and leftovers can be re-worked a million different ways. Just think of them like spinach. Would spinach be good here? Like, say, tucked into an omelette or as a nice burger topper? Yes? Use a hand full of these greens instead!

Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten-free, Paleo, Whole30

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Roasted Beet & Chard Greens aka “CSA Cleanup”

A boatload of greens – I used the tops of 1 large bunch of beets + 1 bunch of rainbow chard (8 cups or so total)
Garlic – I used 10 cloves
Fat – I used a drizzle of olive oil because that’s what I had. Bacon fat would be luurvely here.
Salt & pepper
Optional: citrus juice or preserved lemon

Set your oven to 375. Prep your largest baking sheet with a foil liner.

Wash your greens and slice into inch or so thick ribbons. Arrange on the prepped baking sheet as evenly as possible.

Chop your garlic roughly and sprinkle over the greens.

Drizzle with fat.

Salt and pepper liberally.

Roast 20-30 minutes, or until the greens are slumpy and the garlic is beginning to brown.

Serve. These greens are fantastic with a shot of citrus juice or some preserved lemon.

Makes 2 huge dinner servings if you’re using these greens as the “bulk” of your meal or a bunch of little additions for other meals. 

Adventures In Budget Paleo Cooking – Week of July 21 – 25

Categories Paleo On A BudgetLeave a Comment on Adventures In Budget Paleo Cooking – Week of July 21 – 25

Paleo-On-A-Budget-Header

A number of people I know are completely flabbergasted when contemplating sticking to a budget while eating a primarily “paleo” diet. I’m hoping to shed a little light on that issue for those of you on the fence about eating healthfully in this manner – it *can* be done – and done well – without spending all the money. All it takes is a little planning. 

A little background: I live in Brooklyn, NY, and the grocery prices here are definitely not the same as what you will find in other areas of the country. If you live in say, Raleigh NC for example – you may very well be able to cut this grocery bill by a third, depending upon where you shop. For where I live, where I shop and what I buy, $100 a week is a doable budget without having to sacrifice the quality I want too much. My DH thinks $130 is probably more realistic with our morning smoothie supplies, but I want to shoot for $100. I aim to make 4-5 dinners for two and 5 lunches per week, plus two smoothies per day six days of the week with my budgetary allowance and update you all weekly on what’s going on. Let’s see if I can make it. 

—

My CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) shares are going strong, so I will be doing things a little differently with the vegetable portion of my meal planning for the next few months (until October). My share averages out to $25 a week, which will come off the top of my budget allotment and will comprise the bulk of my non-smoothie-related vegetable purchases. If you’re curious to see how I use my CSA veggies up, check out my What To Do With A Box Of Vegetables posts.

Last Week (Week of July 14 – 18)

The Plan vs. Reality

This week’s meal planning was efficient – I ended up making pretty much what I set out to make.

Monday

  • The Plan – Coconut zoodles with ground poultry + kale + garlic scapes
  • Reality – This was so-so.

Tuesday

  • The Plan – Zucchini & meatballs + kale + garlic scapes
  • Reality – This was so-so as well (and I forgot the kale).

Wednesday

  • The Plan – Zoodles with avocado cream sauce & chicken + spring garlic
  • Reality – This was pretty good.

Thursday

  • The Plan – Bratwurst with CSA veggies
  • Reality – I made zucchini fritters and they were fantastic.

Friday

  • The Plan – Eat out
  • Reality – That happened.

Lunches

  • The Plan – Salads & leftovers
  • Reality – Lunches this week were light on salads – I just couldn’t face them this week – and heavy on leftovers. I ended up wasting a head of lettuce because of it.

Extras

  • The Plan – Nothing.
  • Reality – Nothing made.

 

This Week: July 21 – 25

I have leftover CSA veggies this week and $75 to spend on groceries.

 

This Week’s Proposed Menu

  • Monday: Meat crust quiche with zucchini, carrots, kale & leek
  • Tuesday: Zucchini soup & garlic scapes with a meat side
  • Wednesday: Zucchini salsa verde with spiced pork chops
  • Thursday: Meat with CSA veggie
  • Friday: Meat with CSA veggie or dine out
  • Lunch: CSA veg salads, leftovers
  • Extras: Zucchini chips if I have enough leftover

Shopping List & Cost Breakout

Grocery Store Key: TJ = Trader Joe’s, O = Optional if budget allows

Shopping List

Pepper – ($1.99 @ TJs)
Coconut oil – TJs is having a run on coconut products and was out of this as well as coconut milk
Cilantro – ($1.79 @ TJs)
lime – (1 lb. bag – $1.69 @TJs)
onion (2) – ($1.78 @ TJs)
sweet potatoes – ($1.47 @ TJs)
jalapeño – ($1.69 @ TJs)
basil – ($2.69 @ TJs)
Country sausage or Italian sausage – ($4.45 @ TJs)
Steaky or meaty something – (tri-tip steak $8.59 @ TJs)
Steaky or meaty something – (Korean short ribs $7.71 @ TJs)
Smoothie Supplies – $25 est
 
2 bags kale – ($2.29 x 2 @ TJs)
1 bag spinach – ($1.99 @ TJs)
5 apples – ($3.95 @ TJs)
3 avocados – ($4.17 @ TJs)
coconut water – ($3.69 @ TJs)
ginger – ($1.39 @ TJs)
 

Extras: I had enough leftover, so the hubbs got a snack – cheese ($6.92) and I got butter ($3.19), sunbutter ($4.99) and blueberries ($2.99).

Total TJ: $71.71

Total For The Week: $71.71; $4.29 under budget. Whoo hoo! I love the weeks when it’s easy to come in under budget. This only really planning 3 meals + living off of what I have for 1-2 is working well for the grocery budget.

Pantry/items repurposed from last week: fats, spices, CSA veggies, pork chops. 

Franken Notato Salad with Sausages

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It started with the best of intentions. I set out to make a nice little fauxtato salad – something along the lines of this one from Health-Bent. And then I started tinkering. There are a million different ways to make potato salad – and a million different flavor profiles to choose from – but when I think potato salad, I think of mustard and crunchy celery and hard boiled eggs and summer evenings spent picking bites of cold potato salad out of the fridge. And the deli potato salad from Food Lion. And Duke’s mayonnaise.

This is not that potato salad, but it filled a craving.

Behold: this monstrosity pile of yummy goodness. The franken salad. A dish that kind of tastes like a hybrid between german and Southern potato salads, but is definitely neither. This dish would be fantastic at a picnic or cookout, and is pretty freakin great on its own in a bowl for dinner.

Gluten-free, paleo and Whole30 compliant (check your labels/check with your butcher)

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Franken Notato Salad with Sausages

2 large Hot Italian sausages
1 large fresh chorizo
Tokyo turnips (about 2 cups diced)
4 medium carrots (about 1 cup diced)
Half a Vidalia onion (about 1 cup diced)
2 hard boiled eggs
3-4 Tbsp. bacon fat
4 Tbsp. grainy mustard (I use Maille – check your label)
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 tsp. celery salt (check your label)
2 stalks celery
2 scallions
Optional toppers: olives, chopped garlic scapes, chopped parsley

First, get your eggs on to boil and prep your veggies. You want everything in a fairly small dice so it cooks nice and quick.

Uncase sausage and add to a large pan over medium heat. Cook, breaking the sausage up as you go, until browned. Remove from the pan and add to a large mixing bowl.

Add the bacon fat to the pan. Add the turnips, carrots, and onion. Sautee, stirring occasionally, until everything is softened and beginning to brown around the edges. (about 10-15 minutes)

While this is working, dice the celery and slice the scallions. Don’t forget your eggs, which should be finished sometime during this step.

Add the mustard, cider, celery, scallions, and celery salt to the sausage bowl and stir. When the veggies are done cooking, add those as well. Taste for seasoning and add more vinegar/salt as needed.

Chop your cooked, cooled and peeled egg and gently fold in.

Top with halved olives, chopped parsley and chopped garlic scapes if desired.

Serves 2 for dinner + 1 for lunch

Herbed Lemonade

Categories CSA Shares, RecipesLeave a Comment on Herbed Lemonade

I don’t know about you, but I always seem to have a plethora of herbs leftover at the end of each CSA week. A bunch of herbs that are threatening to shrivel into blackened husks of their former selves; a whole bouquet of usingallthethings defeat. Welp, no more. I’ve found a cheap, fast and above all else, tasty way to use up a whole hand of herbs in one shot: lemonade.

I realize I’m not reinventing the wheel here, but I’m completely happy with my new evening sip. So far, I’ve done sage and chocolate mint and I’ve loved both. Sage was a surprising love – didn’t think that one was going to work, but it worked magnificently. And now I know what to do with a small bush of sage.

Safe for everybody but Whole30-ers – even vegans. 

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Herbed Lemonade

1 lemon
1 hand full of herbs
1-2 tsp. maple syrup
4 cups warm water (warm from the tap is fine – you want a little warmer than room temp, but not boiling)

Peel your lemon (I use a vegetable peeler) – you want large strips with as little pith as possible. Add to a bowl with the large hand of herbs. Add the water and let the herbs & lemon steep for 30 minutes.

Fish the herbs & lemon peel out and add to your storage vessel. Add the sweetener and all the juice from the lemon and stir.

Serves 4.

Adventures In Budget Paleo Cooking – Week of July 7 – 11

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Paleo-On-A-Budget-Header

A number of people I know are completely flabbergasted when contemplating sticking to a budget while eating a primarily “paleo” diet. I’m hoping to shed a little light on that issue for those of you on the fence about eating healthfully in this manner – it *can* be done – and done well – without spending all the money. All it takes is a little planning. 

A little background: I live in Brooklyn, NY, and the grocery prices here are definitely not the same as what you will find in other areas of the country. If you live in say, Raleigh NC for example – you may very well be able to cut this grocery bill by a third, depending upon where you shop. For where I live, where I shop and what I buy, $100 a week is a doable budget without having to sacrifice the quality I want too much. My DH thinks $130 is probably more realistic with our morning smoothie supplies, but I want to shoot for $100. I aim to make 4-5 dinners for two and 5 lunches per week, plus two smoothies per day six days of the week with my budgetary allowance and update you all weekly on what’s going on. Let’s see if I can make it. 

—

My CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) shares are going strong, so I will be doing things a little differently with the vegetable portion of my meal planning for the next few months (until October). My share averages out to $25 a week, which will come off the top of my budget allotment and will comprise the bulk of my non-smoothie-related vegetable purchases. If you’re curious to see how I use my CSA veggies up, check out my What To Do With A Box Of Vegetables posts.

Last Week (Week of June 30 – July 1)

The Plan vs. Reality

This week’s meal planning was back on track and not too far from reality.

Monday

  • The Plan – Roasted beet greens & chard with pork, sage & apple burgers + caramelized onions
  • Reality – The greens were great, and so were the burgers – even if they ended up being turkey instead of pork.

Tuesday

  • The Plan – Some sort of meat my DH picked out while shopping + CSA leftover veggies
  • Reality – The DH brought home rack of lamb, so I cooked that up and served it with broiled radishes from the CSA & carrots from the crisper. Decadent and delicious.

Wednesday

  • The Plan – Big salad with green beans, red onions, espazote, kale, tomatoes, olives, etc. with sage and bacon wrapped chicken thighs
  • Reality – The chicken was good (but not as good as the sweet potatoes), and the salad was the exact CSA cleanup dish I needed it to be.

Thursday

  • The Plan – New CSA veggies with leftover barbicoa
  • Reality – It was just me for dinner, so I ended up having 2 zucchini cooked in butter with a little seasoning + a leftover pork chop and dinner was fantastic.

Friday

  • The Plan – New CSA veggie with leftover barbicoa
  • Reality – We actually ended up grabbing burgers & sweet potato chips at the store while grocery shopping – much more 4th of July-ish.

Lunches

  • The Plan – ????? + that big salad
  • Reality – I had leftovers all week and they were great.

Extras

  • The Plan – Sage lemonade
  • Reality – Y-U-M.

 

This Week: July 7 – 11

I have leftover CSA veggies this week and $75 to spend on groceries.

 

This Week’s Proposed Menu

  • Monday: Zoodles with roasted beets, dill + horseradish sauce, chevre & chicken
  • Tuesday: Roasted beets + greens with grapefruit & pistachio butter + pork shoulder
  • Wednesday: Sausages with turnip “potato” salad
  • Thursday: New CSA veg with sauteed peaches + mint and leftover pork
  • Friday: New CSA veg with leftover pork
  • Lunch: CSA veg salads
  • Extras: Mint lemonade, bourbon mint drink

Shopping List & Cost Breakout

Grocery Store Key: TJ = Trader Joe’s, WF = Whole Foods, FT = Food Town, O = Optional if budget allows

Shopping List

ghee – $4 est – O ($3.69 @ TJs)
worcestershire sauce – O – did not get
Coconut oil – $5 est – O – did not get
grapefruit – $1 est ($2.16 @WF)
Lemons – $1 est ($0.49 @ TJs)
Peaches – $4 est ($3.49 @ TJs)
 
dill – $2 est ($2.99 @FT)
 
onion – $1 est ($0.79 @ TJs)
4 oz. chèvre – $4 est ($2.49 @ TJs)
 
Pork shoulder – $20 est ($11.88 @WF)
Chicken – $7 est ($6.43 @WF)
sausage – $10 est ($6.96 @WF)
 
grainy mustard – $4 est ($1.79 @ TJs)
Coconut milk (2) – $2 est – did not get & could not find. Weird.
AC vinegar – $4 est ($3.99 @FT)
$60 estimate with no optionals
Smoothie Supplies
 
1 bag kale – $2.50 est ($2.29 @ TJs)
5 apples – $3 est ($3.16 + 0.79 @ TJs)
3 avocados – $4 est ($4.47 @ TJs)
ginger – $2 est ($1.39 @ TJs)
coconut water – $4 est ($3.69 @ TJs)
orange juice – $4 est ($2.99 @ TJs)
 
$19.50 estimate for smoothies
 
$79.50 estimate for smoothies + groceries. Go cheaper where possible and try to fit in ghee. 

Extras: I had enough leftover, so we got spinach for the smoothies ($1.99 @ TJs). I also forgot to list limes ($1.79 @ TJs).

Total TJ: $35.30
Total WF: $27.43
Total FT: $6.98

Total For The Week: $69.71; $5.29 under budget. Whoo hoo!

Pantry/items repurposed from last week: fats, spices, CSA veggies. 

Apple Sage Turkey Burgers with Caramelized Onions (paleo)

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Mmmm…. sage and turkey and apples. In summer. I got a massive bouquet of fresh sage in my CSA box last week and have been using it in pretty much everything – and since sage goes brilliantly with turkey & apples, I thought a quick and easy turkey burger was in order.

Gluten-free, Paleo and Whole30-compliant (if you omit the maple syrup)

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Apple Sage Turkey Burgers with Caramelized Onions

1 lb. ground turkey (dark meat is best!)
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh sage
2 Tbsp. minced onions
1 tsp. maple syrup
1 Tbsp. granulated garlic
1 Tbsp. Red Boat fish sauce
1/4 c. minced Fuji apple
Liberal sprinkles of salt & pepper
2 Tbsp. Fat of Choice (I used bacon fat)
Caramelized onions – optional – see recipe below
Ketchup for grownups – optional – recipe here

First, start your onions if you’re serving with caramelized onions. Second, prep your mise. Mince the apple and onion, and finely chop the sage. When your onions are about 3/4 of the way done, add all burger ingredients to a large bowl, mix well (hands are best), and form into 2-4 patties.

Heat your fat in a large pan over medium heat. Add the burgers and cook 5 minutes per side to ensure doneness. This is not the time for a medium-rare burger.

Serve with caramelized onions and Ketchup for Grownups.

Feeds 2-4.

 

Caramelized Onions

1/2 to 1 whole onion (any white variety will do)
1-2 tsp. Fat of Choice (I used coconut oil)
Big pinch salt
1/2 tsp. maple syrup

In a medium pan over medium low heat, add the fat and bring to a melt. While your fat is coming up to temperature, peel and very thinly slice your onion – I generally halve mine lengthwise first to make the slicing easier. Add to the pan, making sure to break the onion up as you toss it in.

Let cook gently 5 minutes or until just beginning to turn translucent. Add a liberal sprinkle of salt and 1/2 a teaspoon of maple syrup. Stir. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally to avoid burning, until the onions are deeply caramel colored. This is not quick. Allot a good 20/25 minutes to this process. The maple speeds it up a bit, but this is still not a speedy topping. It’s a labor of love.

Serves 2-4, depending upon how much onion you cut and how much you like on your burger. 

Adventures In Budget Paleo Cooking – Week of June 30 – July 4

Categories Paleo On A BudgetLeave a Comment on Adventures In Budget Paleo Cooking – Week of June 30 – July 4

Paleo-On-A-Budget-Header

A number of people I know are completely flabbergasted when contemplating sticking to a budget while eating a primarily “paleo” diet. I’m hoping to shed a little light on that issue for those of you on the fence about eating healthfully in this manner – it *can* be done – and done well – without spending all the money. All it takes is a little planning. 

A little background: I live in Brooklyn, NY, and the grocery prices here are definitely not the same as what you will find in other areas of the country. If you live in say, Raleigh NC for example – you may very well be able to cut this grocery bill by a third, depending upon where you shop. For where I live, where I shop and what I buy, $100 a week is a doable budget without having to sacrifice the quality I want too much. My DH thinks $130 is probably more realistic with our morning smoothie supplies, but I want to shoot for $100. I aim to make 4-5 dinners for two and 5 lunches per week, plus two smoothies per day six days of the week with my budgetary allowance and update you all weekly on what’s going on. Let’s see if I can make it. 

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My CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) shares are going strong, so I will be doing things a little differently with the vegetable portion of my meal planning for the next few months (until October). My share averages out to $25 a week, which will come off the top of my budget allotment and will comprise the bulk of my non-smoothie-related vegetable purchases. If you’re curious to see how I use my CSA veggies up, check out my What To Do With A Box Of Vegetables posts.

Last Week (Week of June 23-27)

The Plan vs. Reality

This week’s meal planning was pretty much nonexistent. We were on vacation last week, so I told the DH to pick up 5 meats + smoothie supplies and call it a day.

Monday

  • The Plan – Burgers with sweet potato fries
  • Reality – Always a great dinner to have in my back pocket. Today, the day after getting back from vacation, was no exception.

Tuesday

  • The Plan – Some sort of meat my DH picked out while shopping + CSA leftover veggies
  • Reality – The DH brought home rack of lamb, so I cooked that up and served it with broiled radishes from the CSA & carrots from the crisper. Decadent and delicious.

Wednesday

  • The Plan – Some sort of meat my DH picked out while shopping + CSA leftover veggies
  • Reality – The DH picked out Cabernet Pot Roast (one of the pre-marinated meats from Trader Joe’s). I made that and served it with CSA mystery greens (mustard greens??) + collards. Yum.

Thursday

  • The Plan – Some sort of meat my DH picked out while shopping + CSA leftover veggies
  • Reality – Pork chops with baby bok choy from last week, big bok choy from this week, carrots from the crisper and some of the 999999 spring onions we now have.

Friday

  • The Plan – Some sort of meat my DH picked out while shopping + CSA leftover veggies
  • Reality – The hubby brought home chicken as well, but we ended up eating snacky things from the grocery instead.

Lunches

  • The Plan – ?????
  • Reality – I ordered rotisserie/grilled chicken on Monday and ate that as my protein all week with scrounged CSA veggies until Wednesday and lettuce & stuff from Wednesday on. It worked.

Extras

  • The Plan – Nothing planned
  • Reality – And nothing made.

 

This Week: June 30 – July 4

I have leftover CSA veggies this week and $75 to spend on groceries.

 

This Week’s Proposed Menu

  • Monday: Big salad with lots of veggies + such – big enough that I can eat the leftovers for lunch
  • Tuesday: Chard + beet greens roast with pork/sage/apple burger & caramelized onion
  • Wednesday: Bacon-wrapped sage sweet potato wedges with Barbicoa
  • Thursday: New CSA veg with barbicoa
  • Friday: New CSA veg with barbicoa
  • Lunch: CSA veg salads
  • Extras: Sage lemonade, sage ice cubes and maybe sage honey

Shopping List & Cost Breakout

Grocery Store Key: TJ = Trader Joe’s, WF = Whole Foods, O = Optional if budget allows

Shopping List

ghee – $4 est – O
coconut aminos – $4 est – O
worcestershire sauce – O
Coconut oil – $5 est – O

Lemons – $1 est ($0.49 @ TJs)
Apple – $1 est ($0.79 @ TJs)
Green beans – $3 est ($2.69 @ TJs)
Cherry tomatoes – $4 est ($2.49 @ TJs)
Parsley – $2 est ($1.79 @ TJs)

Bacon – $5 est ($4.99 @ TJs)
Garlic – $2 est ($1.29 @ TJs)

Onion – $1 est ($0.79 @ TJs)
Sweet potato – $1 est ($0.49 @ TJs)

Ground pork – $8 est (TJs did not have, so I bought ground turkey instead – $3.99)
Chicken – $7 est – use leftovers from last week
5-7 lb. brisket – $30 est – $20 MAX (more like 2 lbs – $17.65 @ TJs)

salt – $4 est ($1.49 @ TJs)
eggs – $4 est ($3.99 @ TJs)

$86 estimate – without smoothie supplies. This is $11 over my $75 mark. 

$73 estimate without the Optional items. 

Smoothie supplies estimate:

2 bags kale – $5 est ($2.29 x 2 @ TJs)
1 bag spinach – $2 est ($1.99 @ TJs)
5 apples – $5 est ($3.95 @ TJs)
3 avocados – $4 est ($4.47 @ TJs)
5 limes – $5 est (1 lb. bag – $1.79 @ TJs)
Coconut water – $4 est ($3.69 @ TJs)
Celery – $2 est – did not get
Cilantro – $2 est – did not get

$29 est for smoothies

Need to cut $27 worth of groceries from the list. 

Buy cheaper meat – $20 max (cuts $10)
Cut the chicken (cuts $7)

STILL NEED TO CUT $10 WORTH OF GROCERIES FROM THE LIST 

Extras: I forgot to list ginger in smoothie supplies – $1.39 @ TJs. The hubbs was with me and bought some snacky food for Friday night’s dinner – $2.69 for pita crackers + $7.47 for Old Amsterdam gouda — and those could both have come out of the “entertainment” budget bucket. We also had to buy an emergency bag to carry groceries home, since one of ours was horrible smelling once we unrolled it.

Total TJ: $76.03
Total WF: $0.00

Total For The Week: $75.00; $0.00 over budget. This was one of those weeks that shopping on a budget sucked. But I made it – barely. I did manage to get the coconut aminos I needed + some fruit to snack on for the week (cherries), but those came out of our weekly entertainment budget, since things like Friday night’s dinner + beer were purchased at the same time. I’m calling this week even on budget – technically, I spent a little under, but it all evens out in the end.

Pantry/items repurposed from last week: fats, spices, CSA veggies, chicken.