Home-made Paleo BBQ with Sweet Potato Pancakes

If you are participating in the Paleo Challenge, save this recipe for a bit of a cheat day.  It contains sweet potato and maple syrup, items which are no-gos for the Challenge, but are generally accepted as allowable on the Paleo diet, assuming you don't overload your daily food intake with them.  I've said it before:  everything in moderation.  :) 

That being said, DANG this BBQ sauce is finger-lickin' GOOD, y'all!

You can do this recipe with pork, chicken or beef: basically just throw your protein of choice in a crock pot with water, and set it on 8hrs for super-tender meat.  We used beef.

For the BBQ Sauce:           

1 6oz can tomato paste (no sweeteners or preservatives)

½ a jalapeño cut long ways, seeds removed, but leave the white part inside (If you're not crazy about a lot of heat, use only 1/4 of the jalapeño)

½  a red bell pepper, seeded

⅓ of a white onion, chopped

2 large cloves garlic, papery skin removed

2 tsp apple cider vinegar

¼ tsp liquid hickory-smoked flavoring (no preservatives or sweeteners)

2 tbs Grade-A Dark Maple Syrup (organic is best)

1 cup water

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

Preaheat the oven to 450 degrees, then throw in the bell pepper, jalapeño, and garlic to roast for about 20 mins.  Meanwhile, cook the onions in a saucepan until they’re golden-brown on the edges.  When the roasted veggies are done (fork-tender), chop them, throw them in a blender with the tomato paste, onion and water, and liquefy it until smooth.  Place the mixture on the stove over med-low heat in a pot, add in all the rest of the ingredients, and simmer for about 45 mins to allow it to thicken.  Serve over top of your favorite protein.

For the Sweet Potato Pancakes:

2 large sweet potatoes

3 tbs Coconut butter/oil (no sweeteners added)

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 475.  Wrap the potatoes in tin foil, and bake them until they’re soft, approx. 45 mins.  Remove, and carefully (using an oven mit), scoop out the insides with a spoon.  Transfer the meat of the potatoes to a bowl, let cool for 5 minutes and stir in a sprinkling of cinnamon.  Heat a saucepan to medium with the coconut oil in it, then, with your hands moistened with water, take small handfuls of the potato meat and form thin pancakes, placing them carefully in the coconut oil.  Allow them to cook on both sides until they’re brownish and crisp on the outer edges (2-3 mins or so per side).  Serve with BBQ.

Hasta luego,

-C.E.

Paleo Giambotta and Pork Chops with Pear and Mint Relish

A hearty, savory dinner for cold fall evenings!

The Giambotta recipe was derived from a favorite of mine by Rachel Ray on Food Network's website, of course, I tweaked it to make it Paleo-friendly. 

For the Giambotta:

About 3 tbs olive oil

½ a 10 oz bag shoestring carrots
1 bay leaf or dried
3 cloves garlic, 2 chopped, 1 whole cracked from skin
1 onions, sliced
1 eggplant, chopped
2 large zucchini, chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
Salt and pepper
1 (28-ounce) can fire roasted diced tomatoes
1 cup vegetable stock (no sweeteners/preservatives)
1/2 cup torn or chopped basil (10 to 12 leaves)

Throw the olive oil and carrots in a pot on the stove over med to med-high heat.  After they cook for about 7 mins, add the onion, garlic, and bay leaf.  Cover.  Working next to the stove, add in vegetables as you chop, from longest to shortest cooking time: eggplant, zucchini, then the bell pepper.  Season it with salt and pepper, cover, and allow it to cook for 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally.  Last, add the fire roasted tomatoes, basil, and stock.  Allow it to cook 5 more minutes, then serve. 

For the Pork Chops:

1 Bosc pear, cut in half longways

20 leaves mint

2 pork chops, bone-on

All-purpose seasoning or salt and pepper

1 tbs olive oil

Heat the oven to 350 degrees, then throw in the pears to roast for about 15-20 minutes while you cook the chops.  Heat a saucepan to med-med high temperature with the olive oil in it, season the pork, and cook it on the stove.  Cook them on both sides, about 10 mins per side.  When the pork’s almost done, remove the pear from the oven, and carefully, using an oven mitt, scoop the seeds out, then remove the meat of the pear and set it aside.  Chop up the pears and mint leaves finely, stir, and use to top the chops when they’re done. 

Enjoy!

-C.E.

Crabcakes with Tomato and Cucumber Salsa, and Curried Butternut Squash Soup

In the great words of Rachel Ray, “Yum-O!”

The crab cakes will feed 2, but the soup will feed 4 (or 2 with leftovers).   

You’ll need (for the soup)

1 butternut squash, seeded, peeled, and chopped

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped carrot

1 whole white onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

About 1 tbs olive oil

6 cups water

Salt

1 tbs curry powder (yellow)

(For the crab cakes)

1 16 oz can of crab meat (precooked)

1 egg

1 cup almond flour

1 tsp Old Bay seasoning

(For the salsa)

2 roma tomatoes, diced

About a 1.5 in section of a large cucumber, diced

1 tsp balsamic vinegar

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  In a large soup pot on the stove, cook celery and carrots in the olive oil for about 7 minutes, covering the pot with a lid.  Stir every 2 mins or so.  Next, add in the onions and garlic, and cook till they’re soft, but not brown.  Add in all the rest of the soup ingredients, bring to a boil. While the water is getting up to boiling, work on the crab cakes: mix the crab, almond flour, egg and Old Bay in a bowl, blend well with a fork, then form about 6 cakes into patties, and put them in the oven for about 25 mins, or until golden brown and slightly firm.  Once your soup water is boiling, turn the heat down to a simmer.  Allow it to simmer for 20 mins or until the squash is soft.  When you have a free minute, mix chopped tomatoes and cucumbers with the vinegar to make your salsa.  Once the soup is done simmering, remove it, strain out 2/3 of the liquid, then blend the cooked vegetables and remaining liquid in a blender (or with an immersion blender) until it is smooth.  Season it with salt as needed.  Serve crab cakes with the salsa on top or on the side. 

Paleo Shepherd's Pie

So sorry I haven't posted in a few days, it's been hectic, and unfortunately this weekend I'll be MIA due to obligations with the Army, but luckily, this recipe makes so much food you'll be able to munch on it all week.  :)  AND, special thanks to Chelsea Whitten for the inspiration for this recipe!

This one is SO GOOD, y'all!

It's the perfect hearty comfort food for cold weather.  It will feed a family of four, or make lots of leftovers for two.

You’ll need:

2 lbs ground beef (preferably grass-fed)

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets

½ white onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 10 oz bag carrots, shredded into thin pieces

2 zucchini squash, sliced thin

Beef seasoning (I love Cavendar’s All-Purpose Greek Seasoning)

Olive oil

2 oz any kind of milk (coconut, almond, if you’re doing Primal, animal milk)

*About 1 cup shredded cheddarjack cheese (only if you’re doing Primal)

Preheat the oven to 375.  Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and throw in your cauliflower, letting it cook till fork tender. Meanwhile, heat a saucepan with a little oil to med-med hi, and throw in the onions and garlic; once they start turning golden, throw in your ground beef, chopping it into small chunks as you cook it.  Cook it half way (to where you still see a little pink), season, drain off the liquids, then set beef and onion mixture aside in a bowl.  Wipe the pan out with a wad of wet paper towels (careful, it’s hot), return it to the stove with a little more oil, and cook up the carrots till they’re al-dente (it helps to place a lid over the pan so the moisture steams the carrots).  By now the cauliflower should be getting close to done; throw it in a blender or food processor with milk and a little seasoning until it is soft and resembles mashed potatoes.  Set the mash aside.  When carrots are done, layer all ingredients into a large casserole pan in this order: beef/onions at the bottom, then sliced uncooked zucchini, then the carrots, then evenly cover it all with cauliflower mash, and top it off with cheese if you’re doing Primal. (You may want to season the layers a bit as they go in the pan to evenly flavor everything.)  Bake for 20-25 mins. 

See you tomorrow!

-C.E.