Pineapple Fried Cauliflower Rice

This side makes a great counterpoint for a bowl of Kaluah Pork, a nice sesame chicken, or a burger patty.

Gluten-free, Paleo, vegetarian, vegan


Pineapple Fried Cauliflower Rice

2 cups pre-steamed riced Cauliflower (or cauliflower-broccoli mix – I bought a steamer bag in my grocer’s freezer section)
1 shallot
2 cloves garlic
1/2 inch ginger
Hand full cilantro
Juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup crushed pineapple in juice
2 Tbsp. coconut aminos
Fat of Choice
Salt & pepper

Dice your aromatics – shallot, ginger and garlic. Add to a large pan with 2 Tbsp. of your favorite fat. Sautée until just starting to color.

Add the riced cauliflowers, pineapple, coconut aminos and lime juice. Sautée until the liquid has evaporated and everything is starting to caramelize.

Taste and hit with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the cilantro. Sautée until your desired brownness is achieved (or your patience runs out).

Serves 2 – top with a fried egg & pulled pork and call it dinner

Yuzu Sesame Slaw

This quick and easy side makes a bright, spicy counterpoint to a sweeter meat main or the Thai meatballs I posted last week.

gluten-free, paleo, Whole30, vegetarian, vegan


Yuzu Sesame Slaw

2-3 cups tricolor slaw mix (broccoli slaw would also be great)
2 Tbsp. yuzu hot sauce
1 jalapeno or serrano
1/2 bunch scallions
2 Tbsp. sesame oil
1 Tbsp. sesame seeds
1 tsp. grated ginger

Slice the scallions and chop the peppers; add to a large bowl with the slaw mix.

In a small bowl, whisk together the yuzu hot sauce, sesame oil, sesame seeds and grated ginger.

Pour the dressing over the slaw and massage to combine.

Great served with my paleo Thai meatballs, bacon and avocado, or a nice salmon burger.

Serves 2 as a salad base

Overnight Faux-Rina 

One of my favorite winter breakfasts as a kid was forina, aka Uncle Ben’s Cream of Wheat. I loved mine with a dash of chocolate.

This, surprisingly, tastes a bunch like forina – it has a nice hearty texture, a really light sweetness, and feels stick-to-your-ribs. I’m willing to bet it’s even great warm and with a little cacao.

Gluten-free, Paleo, Keto, vegetarian & vegan with substitutions


Overnight Faux-Rina 

1/4 c. chia seeds
1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
10 drops stevia
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 Tbsp. sunflower seed butter (no sugar FTW!)
1 c. almond milk
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 Tbsp. flaxseed meal
1 scoop protein powder (I use beef collagen) 

Combine all ingredients in a mason jar or blender. Shake or blend. Let sit in the fridge overnight.

Serves 1 – 2 depending upon how starving you are 

Japanese Sesame Greens

This quick and easy side dish makes a great light dinner with a little protein. Inspired by a recipe made on one of my favorite YouTube channels: Texan In Tokyo (RIP).

gluten-free, paleo, whole30, keto, vegetarian, vegan


Japanese Sesame Greens

1 bunch bok choy (about 1 cup chopped)
2 Tbsp. sesame oil
3 Tbsp. sesame seeds
1 Tbsp. coconut aminos
2 drops stevia

In a medium pan, heat the sesame oil over medium-high heat. Add the bok choy and cook, stirring frequently, until softened.

Meanwhile, bash the sesame all to hell in a mortar & pestle until it resembles sand.

When the sesame is done, add the coconut aminos & stevia and stir to combine. Let cook a minute or so. Add the bashed sesame seeds, stir to combine, and pull off the heat.

Serves 1 as a side dish

Nutritional Breakout: 430 calories, 7 grams net carbs, 8 grams protein, 40 grams fat

Peach & Sesame Salad

As written, this recipe makes a great Summer snack. If you want to bulk it up to meal hardiness, add some sliced tuna, chicken or serve alongside a nice burger.

Gluten-free, Paleo, Whole30, vegetarian, vegan


Peach & Sesame Salad

1 cucumber
1 small peach
1 tsp. Sesame oil
1 – 2 tsp. Mixed seeds (I used sesame and chia)
1/2 tsp. Rice vinegar
1 tsp. Sriracha
1 green onion
Kosher salt & black pepper

First, spiralize your cucumber into noodles.

Slice the green onion thinly and add to the “noodles”.

Chop the peach and add. Toss to combine.

Drizzle with the sesame oil, sriracha and rice vinegar. Toss with a big pinch kosher salt and a few cracks black pepper. Sprinkle with seeds and serve.

Serves 1 as a snack or light side 

Fiery Roasted Squash

This makes a nice departure from roasted sweet potatoes as a mostly hands-off weeknight side.

Gluten-free, paleo; vegetarian & vegan if you swap the fat

  

It’s not as burnt as it looks – promise – I got a little carried away with my Hipstamatic app.

Fiery Roasted Squash

1 kabocha squash
2 Tbsp. melted ghee or other fat
2 Tbsp. spicy harissa (I use Mina)
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. maple syrup
1 tsp. ground coriander
2 big pinches Kosher salt

Preheat oven to 425 F. Peel and chop the kabocha – kabocha isn’t the easiest squash to peel, I used a knife and kind of shaved the skin off.

Prep a baking sheet with foil.

Toss all ingredients together and spread out into a single layer on the baking sheet.

Bake 20 minutes, flip, and bake an additional 20 minutes until roasted.

Serves 4 as a side

Chipotle Pumpkin Soup

Faced with an unexpected CSA prize – an adorable pumpkin – I set out to find something fitting to do to this noble squash, aside from sitting it on the edge of my counter so I could ogle it daily, luxuriating in the little bit of Fall brought into my daily line of sight.

I researched pumpkin recipes high and low, got frustrated because it seems everything calls for canned pumpkin or butternut squash (because let’s face it: pumpkins are fickle, unpredictable bastards and a crap item to use in baking), or is a soup. I *always* make pumpkin soup.

That’s because pumpkin soup is delicious.

I settled on the flavors from one soup married to the flavors from another, with the cooking method of a third – and lo and behold, this soup was born. It’s hands-off lazy girl cooking at its finest, utilizing the crock pot and nothing else. And it smells divine while burbling away on the countertop all afternoon.

Note: As written, this soup is on the liquidy side. If you like super thick soups, you could probably get away with halving the stock or maybe omitting altogether.

Gluten-free, paleo, vegetarian and vegan if you use vegetable stock, Whole 30

 

Chipotle Pumpkin Soup

1 2 – 3 lb. pumpkin
1 small onion
2 chipotles in adobo
13.5 ounce can full-fat coconut milk
1 c. broth (I used some leftover bone broth stashed in the freezer for just such an occasion)
2 – 3 cloves garlic
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. dried oregano
Kosher salt
White pepper
The juice of 1 – 2 limes

Peel and chop your pumpkin into chunks. Add to a crock pot. Peel and chop the onion and garlic. Add. Chop the chipotle and add. Add the coconut milk, broth (mine was still frozen), cumin and oregano. Hit with 2 big pinches salt.

Cook 4 hours on high.

When cooked and cooled a bit, blend (be careful – need I remind you that piping hot liquid + a blender is a recipe for disaster if one is not really really careful?). Taste. Add the juice of 1 lime and a couple pinches salt. Taste. Add more lime and/or salt as necessary. I used 2 limes + 6 big pinches salt and a smattering of white pepper.

Serves 2 – 4, depending upon how large your servings are.

Plum And Cucumber Salsa

What to do with an overabundance of stone fruit? Make salsa, of course. This salsa makes a fantastic salad base for a light lunch – just throw on your favorite protein, maybe a hand full of baby spinach or some shredded cabbage, and you’re good to go.

Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, paleo

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Plum And Cucumber Salsa

Plums – enough to total 2-3 cups when chopped
3 peaches
1 cucumber
1 red jalapeno (it doesn’t have to be red, they’re just prettier IMHO)
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 inch ginger
2 cloves garlic
Kosher salt & black pepper

De-pit and chop the fruit. De-seed and dice the jalapeño. Dice the cucumber. Peel and mince the ginger and garlic. Add everything to a large bowl and toss with the lime juice, a generous pinch salt & a few cracks black pepper.

This salsa is good straight after making, but the flavors are even better the next day.

Serves 3 – 4 as part of a nice lunch

 

Spicy Chard Salad with Sweet Miso Dressing

This is one of those crowd-pleasing, light and refreshing salads that makes the perfect thing to bring to a potluck. It’s vegan, gluten-free (check your labels!) and paleo-adjacent. It’s also sweet and spicy and interesting enough to warrant seconds on a hot summer day.

Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free

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Spicy Chard Salad With Sweet Miso Dressing

1 bunch Swiss chard
1/2 head red cabbage
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 red bell pepper
1 shallot
2 Tbsp. white miso (check your labels!)
1.5 Tbsp. tahini
1.5 Tbsp. coconut nectar
1.5 Tbsp. coconut aminos
1 – 2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
Few cracks black pepper
Big pinch Kosher salt
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
Bare dusting ground ghost pepper

Wash and chop the chard, cabbage and peppers – add to a large bowl. Dice the shallot and add. Halve the tomatoes and add.

In a small bowl, whisk together the miso, tahini, coconut nectar, coconut amino, rice vinegar, salt, pepper, coriander and ghost pepper.

Pour over the salad and toss to combine.

Serves 6+, enough for a potluck

Blistered Lemon Green Beans

Lemon! This is one of those bright, punchy side dishes that calls to mind hot summer evenings spent draped over the arms of furniture because it’s wilty outside, potluck barbecues with friends, and the bounty of an overflowing CSA box.

In short, it’s delicious and will wake your tastebuds up. Plus, it’s safe for pretty much everyone if you want to bring it somewhere.

Gluten-free, paleo, Whole30, vegetarian, vegan

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Blistered Lemon Green Beans

1 lb. beans (I used a mix of yellow and green)
2-3 lemons
2 tsp. FOC (fat of choice)
4 cloves roasted garlic
1 Tbsp. tahini
2 Tbsp. chopped basil
Kosher salt & pepper
Water

First, tip your green beans and put your broiler on high. Add the green beans in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Slice one of the lemons in half, and then into thin rounds (peel and all). Pick out the seeds of the rounds and place on the cookie sheet with the green beans. Sprinkle with your fat of choice, salt and pepper.

Broil until the green beans are starting to blister and the lemons are starting to burn – roughly 5 mins., turn the pan and 3 mins. (at least in my oven) – start with 5 minutes and watch from there.

While your green beans are burning, make the dressing. Dice the garlic and add to a small bowl with 2 Tbsp. lemon juice, the tahini, and a shot of salt & pepper. Stir to combine and add a little water (about a Tablespoon) to loosen up a little if needed. Chop the basil and add to the dressing. Stir again.

When the beans and lemon slices are ready, remove from the pan. Dice the lemon (peel and all) and add to the dressing.

Toss the dressing with the beans well to combine (I massaged the dressing into the beans with my fingers).

Serves 2-3 as a dinner side