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.