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

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.

Paleo Stuffing

The other day at the gym we were asked what was our favorite part of Thanksgiving dinner. Most people in the group including myself said turkey however a few people said stuffing. And as most of us are aware stuffing is not typically paleo however one of the gym owners had this recipe and I thought that I should give it a try. I can honestly say that I ate it for supper on it's own but it would be darn good stuffed into a turkey. I think I may make this for my family this year for Thanksgiving.

1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed

5 slices of bacon, diced

5 stalks of celery, diced

1 medium onion, diced

2 granny smith apples, peeled and diced

1 lb ground pork

2 cups of mushrooms, diced

2 tbsp white wine vinegar

2 eggs

1/2 cup dried cranberries 

1/2 cup raisins (I don't like raisins so I used dried apricots)

1 cup pecans, chopped

Preheat the oven to 375F. Place the sweet potato cubes on a cookie sheet, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, then bake for 15-20 min.

While that's baking, fry the bacon pieces in a large skillet. When they begin to brown, add in the diced celery, onion, and apples. When the onions become soft, add the ground pork, mushrooms, and white wine vinegar. Stir and cook until the pork is cooked through (no visible pink). Transfer the mixture to a bowl to cool. In a small bowl, beat the eggs, then pour over the cooled pork mixture. Toss in the cranberries, raisins, pecans, and yams and mix well. Bake the mixture at 375F on a foil lined baking sheet or in a large pyrex dish for about 15-20 min until it begins to brown.

Recipe courtesy of Cavegirl in the Kitchen

Balsamic Spinach Salad

3 cups baby spinach
1/2 red onion, sliced
1 can mandarin orange slices
1/2 cup blueberries
3/4 cup pecans
2 tbsp honey
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Begin by toasting the pecans in a pan on medium heat, once toasted add honey and stir to coat pecans. Put to the side. Mix spinach, onion, oranges and blueberries in large bowl. Add nuts and drizzle with balsamic vinegar. 

Enjoy this fresh summer salad!

Quick Breakfast Ratatouille

Ratatouille is a bowl of summer’s bounty, elevated beyond the sum of its parts. Sadly, out of season ingredients, and bad preparations have left most people craving the Disney flick over this summer stew from Provence. If you've ever had a good ratatouille though, it’s a memory that’s hard to forget. Large chunks of tender vegetables, iinfused with the ripe flavors of the summer sun. Juicy, but not watery, and with a rich savoriness that tastes more sinful than its virtuous ingredients indicate.

This is not a traditional ratatouille but a quick and easy version. I will have the traditional version in a few weeks!

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 large cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 large onions, sliced
1 medium red bell peppers, cored, seeded and sliced
10 button mushrooms, sliced in half
2 medium tomatoes, cored and sliced or several grape tomatoes cut in half
1 medium zucchini, chopped
1 tbsp flat leaf parsley roughly chopped
1 tbsp cup basil roughly chopped
2 - 3 sprigs thyme
salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in pan on medium heat, add onion and garlic and saute for 2 to 3 minutes, or until onions are tender. Add peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms and zucchini and continue to cook for an additional 5 - 7 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Add fresh herbs and season with salt and pepper. Serve on its own or over a poached egg.

Fried Eggplant

1 eggplant
1 egg
3/4 cup almond meal
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 fresh cracekd pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
Coconut or olive oil


Slice the eggplant into pieces that are around 1/8" to 1/4" thick. In a bowl whisk the egg. In a separate bowl combine almond meal, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Lightly coat the eggplant pieces in egg, then coat them with the almond meal mixture. Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat.Place coated pieces in the oil and brown on both sides. Serve hot. 

Sauteed Beet Greens with Bacon

I ventured to the Saskatoon Farmers' Market today and purchased a lovely bunch of beets with greens. I felt inspired to make some beet greens for lunch with flavours of borscht and traditional Polish dishes. 

5 slices of bacon, chopped
1 large bunches of beet greens (cleaned, stems cut off and rough chopped)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 small onion, chopped
2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Cook bacon in a large pan on medium heat, until cooked and fat rendered from bacon. Remove bacon and saute the garlic and onions in the fat until fragrant – about 2 minutes. Add the beet greens along with a little bit of water and saute until they are wilted and covered in the bacon fat and garlic. Add dill and return bacon to the pan. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Recipe adapted from Paleo Spirit

Watermelon and Arugula Salad

I love watermelon and this is a great fresh summer salad, pairing fresh watermelon with peppery arugula. 

2 cups baby arugula leaves*
4 cups seedless watermelon, 3/4-inch-diced
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces good feta cheese, 1/2-inch diced (leave out if going pure paleo)
2 tbsp good balsamic vinegar (I used the stuff from Oliv)

Place the arugula,watermelon, feta, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Mix together and drizzle with balsamic vinegar. 

*Arugula (otherwise known as rocket, roquette, rugula and rucola) is a dark green salad leaf with a slightly bitter, mustardy, peppery flavor. Arugula is a good choice of salad green to accompany a rich dish, because its sharp bite will cleanse the palate. Arugula is a Mediterranean plant—the Romans claimed it was an aphrodisiac—that also grows wild in Asia.

Brown Butter, Lemon & Bacon Broccoli

This is my 100th post! Thanks for all of your support and interest with my blog!

1 head of broccoli, cut into florets
6 pieces of bacon, chopped
1 portobello mushroom, chopped
1/4 cup vegetable stock
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
3 tbsp butter
Zest and juice of one lemon
Salt and pepper

Being by browning bacon in large frying pan. Add mushrooms to bacon, when bacon is about halfway cooked. When the mushrooms have softened and the bacon is cooked, add the chopped broccoli and vegetable stock. Allow to cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until all vegetable stock has been evaporated. Remove vegetables and bacon from frying pan. 



Add butter to hot pan and allow to brown. Once melted the butter will foam up a bit, then subside. Watch carefully as lightly browned specks begin to form at the bottom of the pan. Smell the butter; it should have a nutty aroma. Add garlic and lemon zest. Stir for 1 minutes. Add the vegetables and bacon back to the pan. Add the lemon juice and stir. Season with salt and pepper. 

Enjoy!

Crispy Baked Sweet Potato Fries

Who doesn't love sweet potato fries! These sweet potato fries will change your life. I’m serious! Salty-sweet, crunchy, and spicy if you wish, baked sweet potato fries are my favorite new snack.

Sweet potatoes (I’d plan on at least one per person)
2 - 3 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper 
Cumin and chili powder (sprinkled to taste)

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into fry-shaped pieces (I used by mandolin with julienne option). Try to cut them into similarly sized pieces so the fries will bake evenly.

Toss the uncooked fries into a mixing bowl or a plastic bag, or just onto your baking sheet. Lightly coat the fries with olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, and spices. I’d try to use half a teaspoon per potato or so. Mix/shake to distribute evenly.

Pour the fries directly onto a non-stick baking sheet for best results (lining with aluminum foil produces mixed results and parchment paper can burn in the hot oven). Arrange your fries in a single layer and don’t overcrowd, otherwise they will never crisp up.

Bake for 15 minutes, then flip the fries so they can cook on all sides. I find the easiest way to flip them is with a metal spatula. Section by section, scoop up about ten fries and flip them with a quick turn of the wrist.

Bake for 10 to 15 more minutes, until the fries are crispy. You’ll know they’re done when the surface of the fries change from shiny orange to a more matte, puffed up texture. It’s essential to bake them long enough, otherwise they won’t be crispy. Don’t worry if the edges are a little bit brown, they will taste more caramelized than burnt.

Recipe from Cookie + Kate

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. 

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 Radicchio and Zucchini Salad

Radicchio is a leaf chicory, sometimes known as Italian chicory. It is grown as a leaf vegetable which usually has white-veined red leaves. It has a bitter and spicy taste, which mellows when it is grilled or roasted. 

This is a simple salad that can be paired with any grilled meat!

1 head of radicchio
4 mini zucchinis
Drizzle of olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 - 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar 
2 tbsp cilantro, chopped

Preheat your grill. Chop your radicchio into quarters and slice the zucchinis in half length wise. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and fresh black pepper. Grill on medium heat until tender with grill marks (about 5 - 7 minutes). Once tender remove from the grill. Chop into bite size pieces and place in bowl. Drizzle with a good quality balsamic vinegar and top with chopped fresh cilantro. The grilling cuts down the bitterness of the radicchio and when paired with balsamic vinegar it tastes great.

Beet & Walnut Salad

4 medium sized red beets, stems and ends removed
1/3 cup walnuts, chopped
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar (I used black walnut and fig from Oliv)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Goat cheese (optional)



Preheat your oven to 400 F. Wrap each individual beet in aluminum foil and place on baking sheet. Allow to roast in the oven for approximately one hour.

Remove beets from oven and allow to cool. Once cool enough to touch, remove from foil. While still warm, peel the skin of the beets off. Plastic gloves will be useful here in order not to stain your hands (i.e. look at the pic of my hands).

My kitchen looked like a crime scene when I was
finished peeling the beets!

Chop beets into large chunks. Place in a medium bowl and toss in the remaining ingredients. Allow beets to marinade in the dressing for a few minutes prior to serving. If going for pure paleo do not add the goat cheese however this salad just cries for it!

Enjoy!

Bacon and Chive Sweet Potato Biscuits

1 large sweet potato or yam (equivalent to 2 cups mashed)
3 tbsp Coconut Flour
3 eggs, whisked
6-8 strips of bacon, diced
leftover rendered fat from bacon
3-4 tbsp chives, thinly diced
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper



Preheat oven to 415 degrees. Poke holes in your sweet potato with a fork. Place in oven and bake for 30-40 or until soft. Once the sweet potato is done baking, turn oven down to 375 degrees.

When you sweet potato is almost done cooking, place your diced bacon into a skillet and brown until crispy. Then place your cooked, crispy bacon on a plate covered with a paper towel to soak up the excess fat. The fat that is left behind in the pan, you will use in your biscuits.

When your sweet potato is done, peel and place in a bowl and mash with a fork. Then add in your eggs and mix well with your sweet potato. Then add your in your bacon fat and mix well. Then your dry ingredients: coconut flour, baking powder, garlic powder, and salt and pepper. Finally add your diced cooked bacon and chives. Mix thoroughly

Now line a baking sheet with parchment paper and use a large spoon to drop your biscuits on the sheet, shaping them as needed. Try to make them all equal in size so they cook the same. Place in oven and bake for 22-27 minutes. Let rest.

Recipe from PaleOMG

Sauteed Garlic Asparagus

This is a super simple and quick side that can be paired with many different dishes.

3 tbsp ghee*
1 bunch fresh asparagus
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 chicken/vegetable stock
salt and pepper

Melt the ghee in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, asparagus spears and chicken stock; cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until asparagus is tender. If you like your asparagus well done, reduce heat and cook an additional 10 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper before serving. 

*Ghee is a type of clarified butter that is prepared by boiling butter and removing the residue. Spices can be added for flavor. Ghee has a long shelf-life and needs no refrigeration if kept in an airtight container to prevent oxidation. The texture, color and taste of ghee depends on the quality of the butter and the duration of the boiling.

Grilled Sweet Potato Medallions

1 large (2 small) sweet potatos, washed and sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp finely diced fresh rosemary
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
sea salt, sprinkled on top

Wash and slice the sweet potatoes into 1/2-inch rounds and place on foil sheet.

Place the olive oil in a bowl and add the chopped rosemary and garlic.Stir and spoon/drizzle on each round. Lightly salt the tops. Place a sheet of tin foil on the grill and place the sweet potatoes on top. Cook on low, about 5 minutes each side.

Enjoy!

Spiced Peas with Cilantro & Lime

"Green beans, snow peas, green peas, and other green legumes encapsulated in pods are often questioned in the Paleo world. Are they Paleo? The short answer is yes, but here’s why.

When they say don’t eat legumes, it’s because legumes have certain anti-nutrients in them, like phytic acid and lectins. Phytic acid binds to the minerals magnesium, calcium, zinc, and iron in your gut and removes them, unabsorbed, from your body. And lectins are sticky little suckers that can glom onto your gut lining and wreak havoc on its integrity. Not good.

However, nuts and seeds also contain these things, and you’re still “allowed” to eat those on the Paleo diet. And that’s because we’re assuming you’re not going to fill half your plate with nuts and seeds like you might with lentils or black beans. It’s a quantity thing, and so it is with green beans and peas. Yes, those things contain those anti-nutrients, but if you’re not eating them by the shovelful, you’ll be just fine.

So eat your green beans, snow peas, and even your green peas on occasion. Just don’t make them a staple or a large proportion of your plate and you’ll be just fine." - Information from the Paleo Plan

Sea Salt
2 cups fresh peas in the pod, shelled or frozen peas
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1/2 tsp curry powder
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1 tsp fresh lime juice

If using fresh peas, fill a large saucepan with salted water and bring to a boil. Add the peas and cook until just tender, 3 to 5 minutes; drain. To defrost frozen peas quickly, place them in a colander and run them under cold water until thawed.

Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the peas, garlic, curry powder, and ¼ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and warmed through, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cilantro and lime juice and toss to combine.

Enjoy!

From Real Simple

Guacamole

Guacamole is an avocado-based sauce that originated with the Aztecs in Mexico. It is commonly used in Mexican cuisine and something that I always have in my house!

1 avocado - peeled, pitted, and mashed
1 lime, juiced
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
1/4 cup diced onion
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 roma tomato, diced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tsp cumin

In a medium bowl, mash together the avocados, lime juice, salt and pepper. Mix in onion, cilantro, tomatoes, and garlic. Stir in cumin. Refrigerate 1 hour for best flavor, or serve immediately.

Oven Roasted Mushrooms

1 pound fresh mushrooms
3 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (good quailty - I used an 18 year Aged Balsamic from Oliv*)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons minced parsley

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Toss the mushrooms, garlic, olive oil and balsamic vinegar in a shallow baking pan. Season to taste with some salt and pepper. Scatter the butter evenly over the top and roast until the mushrooms are golden, about 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle over the parsley. Serve warm.

From Picture Perfect Meals

*Oliv is an awesome shop in Saskatoon dedicated to olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Check them out at Oliv Tasting Room