Chicken Cacciatore

Cacciatore means "hunter" in Italian. In cuisine, alla cacciatora refers to a meal prepared "hunter-style" with tomatoes, onions, herbs, often bell pepper, and sometimes wine. Cacciatore is popularly made with braised chicken (pollo alla cacciatora). I have been on an Italian kick lately so may as well keep them coming!

3 tbsp olive or coconut oil
1 (3 lb) chicken breasts, cut up
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 medium yellow onion, sliced
1/2 lb mushrooms, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (16 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 tsp dried oregano
1 large bell pepper, cut into 1" pieces

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Season chicken with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. When pan is hot, add chicken and brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels. Add onions and mushrooms to the hot pan and sauté until onions are slightly translucent, about 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients. Stir well. Return chicken to pan and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat, cover and simmer 30 minutes, until chicken is tender.

Recipe from The Paleo Plan

Homemade Italian Style Meatballs

I was watching Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives the other day and they were at this place that was making the most decadent meatball subs. This gave me the biggest craving for an awesome meatball. So I typed into google "large baked meatballs" and this was the recipe (with modifications) that popped up. I decided that I may as well try it and see how they would turn out. You know what? They were damn good! 

Meatballs
2 lbs ground beef and pork (50/50 mix)
1/2 onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 - 1/2 almond flour
1 egg 
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan (leave out for strict Paleo)
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Sauce
1 can crushed tomatos
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp Italian seasoning (basil, parsley, oregano)

Preheat oven to 400° F. In a large bowl combine meat, onion, garlic, almond flour, egg, cheese (optional) and seasonings. Combine together with your hands. If the mixture is too wet add more almond flour. Roll the meatballs into 2-inch diameters and place on a foil lined baking sheet with about 1 inch spacing between them. Continue making meatballs until ingredients are all used up. You should end up with about 12 - 16 large meatballs.Bake until they are cooked through, about 25 minutes.

For the sauce combine all ingredients in a small pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 2 minutes. The longer it simmers the more the flavours with develop.

Top the meatballs with sauce and enjoy!

Banana Cookies

These cookies are light and fluffy and are essentially like muffin tops.

1½ cups almond flour
2 tbsp flaxseed meal
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
1 tbsp agave nector
½ to ¾ cup bananas
¼ cup coconut oil, melted
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg, room temperature
¼ cup pecans, chopped

In a large bowl, mix together the almond flour, flaxseed meal, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Add the bananas, agave nector, coconut oil, vanilla and egg to a food processor (or blender i.e. magic bullet) and process until the bananas are pureed and all ingredients are combined. Add mixture to the bowl with the dry ingredients and gently mix to form a batter.


Stir in the chopped pecans and using a medium cookie scoop, scoop the batter onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Flatten each cookie slightly with the palm of your hand. If the batter sticks to your hands, wet your hands with water. Bake cookies at 350°F for about 10-15 minutes or until the edges and bottom start to brown. You can also insert a toothpick into the center and if the toothpick comes out clean, the cookies are done. Let cookies cool on a wire rack.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted Living Healthy

Beef Keema

Keema is a traditional South Asian meat dish. According to very reliable source (wikipedia), keema originally meant minced meat. It is typically minced mutton curry with peas or potatoes. Keema can be made from almost any meat, can be cooked by stewing or frying, and can be formed into kababs. Keema is also sometimes used as a filling for samosas or naan.

This keema recipe I served over cauliflower rice!

1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1 lb ground beef
1/2 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
1 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander 
1/2 tsp cardamom
1/2 tsp chili powder
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes or crushed tomatoes
1 cup stock (I used beef)
salt and pepper to taste
1 bunch of spinach, washed and chopped or a bag of frozen spinach

Begin by browning the ground beef. Add onion and saute along with the beef. Add garlic, ginger and spices, fry for 2 – 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and beef stock, turn heat down and allow to simmer for 30 – 40 minutes or until flavors are well melded. Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir spinach through. Turn heat off and wilt the spinach.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Northwest Cavegirls

Cauliflower Rice

Rice was one of the foods that I missed the most when I started eating Paleo and will often be part of a "cheat meal" for me. So, as a substitute this recipe is pretty darn good!

Head of cauliflower
1 small onion, chopped finely
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp coconut oil
salt and pepper

To start you can, throw the cauliflower into a food processor and pulse until the contents were the size of rice grains. Conversely, and the method I use, I just grate the head of cauliflower on my box grater. This does make a slight mess but it gets the job done.

Heat coconut oil and butter in a skillet, then sauteed the onions over medium heat until they are translucent. When the onions are softened, add in the cauliflower and stirred everything around to evenly distribute the fat and onions.  Season the “rice” with salt and pepper. Then, cover the skillet and cook for 5-10 minutes or until softened. 

Enjoy! Serve with numerous options!

Recipe adapted from NomNomPaleo

Chicken Strips with Honey Mustard

1 lb boneless and skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
1 cup almond flour
1 egg
3/4 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Salt and pepper

Honey Mustard Sauce
5 tbsp raw honey
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with the other sheet of parchment paper, and set aside.

Combine paprika, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Lay out the chicken strips and season both sides. In a small bowl, whisk the egg. In another place place the almond flour. Take each piece of seasoned chicken, dip it in the egg, and then flour with the almond flour. Make sure all the pieces are well coated. Lay each piece on your parchment lined cookie sheet. Once they are all coated, bake for 15-20 min
Note: these will not brown up like fried chicken strips. 

While the chicken is cooking, make the honey mustard sauce. In a small bowl whisk together the honey, mustard and apple cider vinegar – it’s that easy!

Sweet Potato Casserole

I made it home for Thanksgiving this year. As part of Thanksgiving dinner I was requested to make a sweet potato casserole as such I decided that I would slip in a wonderful Paleo option. I made this dish and it was very well received. My cousin even took home the left-overs! 

3 cups baked sweet potatoes (can bake them in the oven or cook them in the microwave)
1/4 cup honey

2 large eggs, beaten

1/2 cup unsalted butter or ghee, melted

1/2 cup coconut milk (or heavy cream)

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp Celtic sea salt

Topping
1 cup almond flour
2 tbsp coconut flour
2 tbsp honey

1/8 tsp Celtic sea salt
4 tbsp butter or ghee, melted

1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350º F and adjust rack to middle position. Place sweet potatoes, honey, eggs, butter, coconut milk, vanilla and salt in a mixing bowl. Mash potatoes and stir until all ingredients are thoroughly mixed. Pour into an 11 x 7-inch baking dish.

Place almond flour, coconut flour, honey, salt and butter in a medium mixing bowl. Stir until combined. Stir in pecans. Sprinkle pecan mixture in an even layer over the sweet potatoes. Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown.

Enjoy!

Recipe from Deliciously Organic 

Roasted Curried Cauliflower

I'm always looking for a new side dish option. I was rummaging through my fridge one night looking for something to eat. I found a head of cauliflower and this is what I decided to make. Full of earthy and robust flavors.

8 cups cauliflower florets 
1 large onion, peeled, quartered
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
3/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
3 1/2 tsp curry powder
1 tbsp paprika
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Preheat oven to 450°F. Place cauliflower florets in large roasting pan. Pull apart onion quarters into separate layers; add to cauliflower. Stir coriander seeds and cumin seeds in small skillet over medium heat until slightly darkened, about 5 minutes. Crush coarsely in mortar with pestle. Place seeds in medium bowl. Whisk in oil, vinegar, curry powder, paprika, and salt. Pour dressing over vegetables; toss to coat. Spread vegetables in single layer. Sprinkle with salt.

Roast vegetables until tender, stirring occasionally, about 35 minutes. Mound vegetables in large bowl. Sprinkle with fresh cilantro. Serve warm or at room temperature.