Chicken Satay with Almond Butter Sauce

Chicken Satay
Boneless, skinless chicken breast tenders (or chicken breasts cut into pieces) and a corresponding number of skewers
1/2 cup coconut cream (store your coconut milk can in the back of your fridge for a few hours and the cream will to rise to the top of the can)
2 tsp fresh ground ginger
2-3 minced garlic cloves
1 tbsp of curry powder
A squeeze of lime juice, plus a little bit of zest
Salt and pepper

Combine the coconut cream, ginger, garlic, curry, and lemon zest in a ziplock bag and squish it all around. If the coconut cream is too thick, loosen it up with a little lime juice and water. Add salt and pepper, then taste for seasoning. Add more curry powder, if you love the flavour.

Add the chicken to the bag and massage the bag to get the chicken coated. Marinate for a minimum of an hour, the longer the better. Once the chicken is done marinating, thread each piece onto a wooden skewer. Soak the skewers first if you choose to prevent them from burning. 

Place them on a heated grill and cook till no longer pink about 8 - 12 minutes. 

Almond Butter Sauce
1 tbsp almond butter
1/4 cup coconut aminos
1 tsp crushed red pepper
Juice of one lime
Some hot water

This sauce is the easiest thing in the world. Just mix all the ingredient together, adding the hot water last and add in just a little at a time until it loosens up the sauce to the consistency you want. 

Serve with chicken and enjoy! I made this for the first time this week and I love it! I will definitely be making this recipe again!

Pork Ribs

Here is another rib recipe, why another? Because ribs are awesome!

Pork side ribs
3 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp salt
2 tsp pepper
1 lemon
water

BBQ Sauce
1/2 can tomato paste
1 tbsp water
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Dash of hot sauce

On the concave surface of all ribs is a thin, translucent membrane. This membrane is tough and will prevent any flavouring to get to the rib meat, and so should be removed. To remove the membrane: Insert a metal spoon handle under the membrane at one end of the rib rack and detach a corner. Then grab the detached flap and gently tear it away from the ribs. It should come off in one clean pull.

Sprinkle the ribs with chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. In a cookie sheet or shallow roasting pan, add about 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) of water. Add a few slices of lemon to the pan. Place the ribs, meaty side up, on the pan in a single layer. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and place in oven at 325°F (160°C). Cook for between 1 and a half and 2 hours, or until meat is easily pierced with a metal skewer.

At this stage the ribs can be cooled and refrigerated for up to three days.

Ribs can be finished on the BBQ (grilled) or in the oven. To finish in the oven, remove foil and turn oven up to broil, brush ribs with your BBQ sauce and broil for about 3 minutes (if ribs are hot) or until sizzling and golden. Turn ribs over and repeat with BBQ sauce and broil again. For the ultimate ribs, repeat brushing sauce and broiling or BBQing on each side. Watch carefully when broiling, so that they do not burn.

Citrus Marinated Chicken

4 chicken breasts
Juice and zest of one lime
Juice and zest of one lemon
4 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tbsp coconut aminos (Soya Sauce)
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper

Place chicken in a nonmetallic dish. Mix the remaining ingredients together and pour over the chicken. Turn to coat chicken well, cover and let marinate in the refrigerator overnight up to 24 hours. Heat grill to medium-high heat and BBQ for 15 to 20 minutes until chicken is tender and the juices run clear when a skewer is inserted into the thickest part of the meat. 

Enjoy! This is amazingly tasty and best served with grilled vegetables or a fresh salad. 

BBQ Bacon Wrapped Shrimp

20 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
10 slices bacon
toothpicks

Preheat grill for medium heat.
Wrap shrimp in bacon, and secure with toothpicks.

Lightly oil grate, and arrange shrimp on grill. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, turning once. The shrimp will be done when the bacon is fully cooked. Serve with lemon herb aioli.

Lemon Herb Aioli
1/4 cup paleo mayo
1 tsp lemon zest
2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp parsley, chopped
1/2 tsp basil, chopped

Mix together and enjoy!

Grilled Lemon Dill Chicken

4 chicken breasts
Juice of 1 lemon
Zest of 1 lemon
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp dill weed
1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
1 tsp celery seed
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp sea salt

Flatten the chicken breasts with meat tenderizer or rolling pin. This will allow the marinade to penetrate faster and the chicken to cook faster. Place chicken in a bowl or container and add the remaining ingredients. Mix thoroughly to coat the chicken. Let the chicken marinade for a minimum of 15 minutes up to an hour. In the mean time heat grill to medium heat. Place chicken on heated BBQ and cook for 7 - 10 minutes or until no longer pink in the center. Serve with grilled vegetables. 

Moroccan Burger with Grilled Eggplant and Pickled Red Onion

Moroccan Burgers
2 lb ground beef
2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 tsp parsley flakes
1/8 tsp turmeric
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp all spice
1/8 tsp ginger
1/8 tsp cardamom
1 egg
1 tbsp coconut flour

Mix all of the above ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Form into burgers grill for 4-5 minutes per side over medium heat for a medium burger or longer if you want it cooked through more. Makes approximately 6 - 8 burgers depending on how big you make them.

Grilled Eggplant
1 eggplant, sliced into 1/2" thick rounds
2 tbsp olive oil
Sea salt and pepper

Drizzle slices of eggplant with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place eggplant on a hot grill and grill for about 15 minutes, turning once.

Quick Pickled Red Onions
1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
2 tsp honey
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup water

Whisk vinegar, honey, salt and water in a small bowl until salt dissolve. Place onion in a bowl; pour vinegar mixture over. Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour.

To assemble burger, top beef with sliced tomato, lettuce grilled eggplant and pickled onions. Enjoy!

Moroccan Burger topped with grilled eggplant and pickled red onions

Recipe adapted from Everyday Paleo

Lemon and Herb Marinated Grilled Chicken

Juice and zest of 2 lemons
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, finely chopped
2 sprigs fresh sage, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, smashed and finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil
4 chicken breasts, trimmed of excess fat
Kosher salt
Fresh cracked pepper

In a small bowl combine the lemon juice and zest, chopped herbs, garlic, crushed red pepper, and 1/2 cup of olive oil. Whisk to combine. Place the chicken breasts in a wide flat dish so they are in a single layer. Add the herb mixture. Massage the chicken to coat with the herb mixture. Cover and refrigerate overnight. 

Note: If doing a quick marinade, leave the chicken out of the fridge for up to 1 hour.

Preheat grill. Brush and oil the grill to clean.

Remove the chicken from the marinade and brush off any excess herbs and oil. Season the chicken generously with salt, pepper and drizzle with a little bit of fresh olive oil.

Grill the chicken for 10 to 15 minutes per side, or until no longer pink and juices run clear.

Enjoy!

Blackened Chicken with Mango Salsa

Blackened Chicken
4 chicken breasts
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 olive oil

Mango Salsa
2 ripe mangoes
1 long English cucumber
3 green onions
3 tbsp cilantro, chopped
Juice of 2 limes
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt to taste

Combine the chili powder, cumin and garlic powder. Add the olive oil, almost making a paste. Add the chicken breasts and coat with the spice mix. Place in the refrigerator and let marinate for 4 to 6 hours. 

For the salsa, chop the mangoes, cucumber, green onion and cilantro into fine pieces. Add the lime juice and olive oil. Add salt to taste. Place in refrigerator and let sit for a minimum of 30 minutes to allow the flavors to incorporate together. 

Turn the BBQ to medium high heat and cook the chicken breasts for 15 - 18 minutes, may need to be longer if thicker. Cook until no longer pink in the middle. 

Top with mango salsa and enjoy!

Salsa recipe courtesy of my friend Nat. 

Grilled Asparagus

High in vitamins B6 and C, plus fiber, folate and glutathione, an anti-carcinogen and antioxidant, asparagus is an excellent nutritional choice. It comes in three colors: white, green or purple, although the green variety is the most common. 

This is a quick and simple dish to accompany any meal. 

1 lb fresh asparagus
2 - 3 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

To prepare asparagus, you will need to rinse the spears and break off the tough ends. Next you will need to heat your BBQ to medium heat and coat with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and rill for 5 - 7 minutes or until tender. Enjoy with your choice of protein. 

Mango Glazed Grilled Shrimp

1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined 
1 mango, peeled and sliced
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Juice of 1/2 lime
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tsp jalapeno, chopped
2 tsp fresh ginger
1 tsp olive oil

Combine mango, lemon and lime juice, apple cider vinegar, jalapeno, ginger and oil in a blender and blend till smooth. Pour mango mixture over peeled shrimp and let marinade for 15 minutes. 

Heat grill to medium heat. Skewer shrimp on bamboo skewers and place on BBQ. Cook for 5 - 7 minutes or until skin is pink and cooked through.

This is a summery dish and can be served with a lovely fresh salad. 

Cinnamon Grilled Fruit

Fruit is perfect for the grill because it is so easy to prepare. Fruit is basically made up of water and sugar and by grilling it you can concentrate the flavors by reducing the water and caramelizing the natural sugars. The process is very simple. You need sliced fruit, water, and cooking oil to make the most basic grilled fruit. What you will get is a quick and easy addition to any meal whether it is as an appetizer, side dish, or dessert. Hard fruits like apples, pears, and pineapples are the easiest to grill since they hold their shape and texture while cooking. Softer fruits like peaches, nectarines, plums and mangoes will become soft and mushy if overcooked. You will need to be more attentive of these kinds of fruit. Either way, pick a fresh firm fruit that is just short of being perfectly ripe. You will want a fruit that is solid enough to hold together and maintain its texture on the grill.


2 apples, cored and cut into 1/4 inch slices (I just halved mine) 
2 pears, cored and halved  (I used anjou)
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat grill for medium heat. Combine water and lemon juice in a large bowl. Add apple and pear slices to mixture. Place honey in a microwave safe bowl and heat until runny and add cinnamon. Place fruit on grill rack and allow to cook for 6-8 minutes on each side, turning once. Once cooked, place apples on a large dish and glaze with cinnamon/honey mixture.

Dry Rubbed Grilled Chicken

This is a super simple recipe! Quick and easy. From fridge to table in less than 20 minutes. 

4 chicken breasts, cut into strips
1/4 cup The Ultimate Spice Blend
2 tbsp olive oil

After cutting chicken into strips, rub with the spice blend, let sit for 10 minutes to let the seasoning permeate into the meat. Heat grill to medium and oil grill. Place chicken on the BBQ and cook between 6 - 8 minutes. Enjoy! Served with salad, grilled portobello mushrooms or grilled vegetables. 

Grilled Portobello Mushrooms

The Portobello mushroom is a large, dark brown mushroom that has a rich flavor and meaty texture. Be sure to keep your unwashed portobello mushrooms refrigerated in a paper bag to maintain their freshness. Portobello mushrooms are a low-fat food -- one cup contains just 0.3 g total fat. It also contains nearly 2 g of protein and 1 g of fiber per one-cup serving.

1/4 cup olive oil
3 tbsp chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Clean mushrooms and remove stems, reserve for other use. Place caps on a plate with the gills up. In a small bowl, combine the oil, onion, garlic and Worcestershire sauce.  Pour mixture evenly over the mushroom caps and let stand for 1 hour. Grill over hot grill for 10 minutes. Serve immediately.

Grilled Pork Side Ribs

I was once asked by someone: If you could only eat meat from one animal for the rest of your life, which animal would you pick? Without hesitation I said: the pig! First of all: pig = bacon. Need I give you any more reasons. If so, check out this awesome pork side ribs recipe!

2 rack of pork side ribs
1/4 cup Ultimate Spice Blend

Sauce
4 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp honey


To begin with we need to prep the ribs. On the concave surface of all ribs is a thin, translucent membrane. This membrane is tough and will prevent any flavouring to get to the rib meat, and so should be removed. To remove the membrane: Insert a metal spoon handle under the membrane at one end of the rib rack and detach a corner. Then grab the detached flap and gently tear it away from the ribs. It should come off in one clean pull.

Cover the ribs on both sides with the Ultimate Spice blend and gently rub into the ribs.

Now, many people have their own way of cooking ribs. Some people will say you need to boil them first, then finished them on the barbecue. Others will say you need to bake them in the oven and then put them on the barbecue.  I am sure these methods result in very tender ribs but honestly I did not have an hour and a half to cook these. So, I turned on my barbecue and threw the ribs on. After about ten minutes I turned them over and cooked for another 10 minutes. While they were cooking I combined the sauce ingredients. I then turned the barbecue down to mediumish, basted the ribs and cooked them for an additional 15 minutes, basting ever 5 minutes.

And that's all I did! They were moist and tasty! I had no complaints.

Grilled Pork Souvlaki

The warm prairie summer was definitely in the air today and as such my BBQ was screaming for some attention. So I hauled my propane tank to gas station and filled it up and set to some grilling. This is a fresh summer recipe!

Marinade
1.5 lbs boneless pork tenderloin, cut into bite-sized chunks
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper
2 tbsp fresh oregano leaves, minced
1 tsp lemon zest
4 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste

Skewers
1 bell pepper
1 red onion


Whisk together all the ingredients for the pork marinade. Pour it into a gallon ziploc bag along with the pork chunks. Marinate at least 4 hours but preferably overnight or up to 24 hours.

Preheat the barbecue. Thread the pork chunks onto skewers, shaking off excess marinade alternating with pieces of bell pepper and red onion. Grill on medium heat until nicely charred and cooked through (10 to 15 minutes). 

Can be served with grilled zucchini, Greek salad or grilled vegetables.