Adovada Enchiladas

I had two different food-related thoughts that came together this weekend.  First, I wanted to use the Carne Adovada (one of my favorite New Mexican recipes) sauce developed by Use Real Butter, but I wanted to make it with ground beef (I was originally thinking Adovada burgers or something).  Then, my library hold of Mark Sisson's The Primal Blueprint Cookbook finally came in (hooray!) and I was intrigued by his use of egg white crepes to make the enchiladas.  Aha, I thought (in what I like to think was a rare moment of brilliance), adovada enchiladas could be something really good. 

I thought about making coconut flour tortillas, but eggs are generally used to tame down heat here in New Mexico (and since I don't eat dairy...these kind of things help:)), and frankly Mark's crepes looked pretty easy (I subbed coconut milk for the cream).  I found it took me a bit to make the perfect crepes, but once I got the hang of it, life was good.  [You cannot taste the coconut milk in the crepes once you are done.]

Anyway, this recipe is a bit, er, time intensive?  But, for a special weekend meal, I think well worth it.  Also, I added veggies to my sauce mixture - you can change them up or omit them as you prefer (I figured since I was doing so much work, I wasn't going to take the time to make another side dish...).

Served above with fresh mango and avocado to tame the heat and add a lovely bit of sweetness!

Ingredients:

• 20 dried, red New Mexico chiles (to tone down the heat, remove the seeds)
• 3-4 tsp sea salt
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 tsp oregano (original calls for 2 tsp, but I'm not a real fan of oregano, and I can totally taste when there are 2 tsp)
• 3-4 cups beef broth/stock (you can use water, but I think the beef broth adds a needed depth/body)
• 1 pound ground meat (I used a mixture of pork and beef - pork (carne) adovada is a very traditional New Mexican dish)
• 2 yellow squash
• 1/2 yellow onion
• 1 bunch spinach
• 8 egg whites (save the yummy yolks for something else)
• 1/3 cup coconut milk (if you let the can sit in the 'fridge, the "cream" separates from the water -- I used the cream part)
• Oil (to grease the crepe pan)
• Sliced mango (optional)
• Sliced avocado (optional)

Directions:

Begin by making the sauce

1. Preheat oven to 325 degree (F).  Place dried chiles on a baking sheet and cook until blackened and blistered, about 8-10 minutes (keep the door open a crack...also, be careful of the fumes...and be VERY careful to handle the peppers and their seeds).
2. Meanwhile, bring beef broth to a boil.
3. Remove from the oven and cover peppers with beef broth.  Cover and let steam for about 30 minutes.
4. Remove pepper from broth, reserving liquid.
5. In a food processor (or blender), mix together peppers, salt, oregano, and about 2 cups of the broth.  Blend until pureed.  You may need to add a little broth/water to get the desired "sauciness".

Make the filling [you can start this while sauce is being prepared}

1. Begin to brown meat. 
2. Chop veggies (if using). 
3. Once meat begins to release a little of its fat, add veggies (except spinach) and let begin to soften.
4. Add sauce and spinach and cook until thickened and spinach is wilted.

Make the crepes

1. Whisk together egg whites and coconut milk.
2. Meanwhile, heat a pan or griddle, add oil, and pour just a little bit of the egg white mixture.  The key here - you want it to be THIN.  Mark suggests about 1/6 cup.  I don't have a cup that is 1/6 cup, so I just eye-balled it.  Once the crepes begin to form little bubbles all the way through (like pancakes), flip.  It doesn't take too long on the other side.
3. Set aside on a plate until all the crepes are cooked.

Assemble the enchiladas

1. If you turned your oven off, turn it back on to 325 degrees.
2. Put a crepe on a plate, stuff with filling, roll, and place into pan.  Do this until you are done (whether because you ran out of food or no more will fit in your pan).
3. Cover with foil and place in an over for about 20 minutes (this helps the flavors meld together...we tried it both with and without baking, and I prefer the end result after baking).
4. Plate.  Serve with diced mango (this is really good, and really helps tame the heat) and/or avocado slices.  Enjoy your Paleo enchiladas! 

Sweet & Sour Slaw

I never really used to like coleslaw.  Maybe it was that I never really had good coleslaw.  I have memories of limp, wilted cabbage soaked in icky jarred mayo.  I don't know what possed me to give this one a try...maybe it was that I had a wonderful looking mango, two heads of cabbage (one red and one green), and some carrot in my 'fridge.  This turned out great, if I do say so myself:)  Sweet from the mango, sour from the coconut vinegar.  Hope you enjoy as well!

Ingredients:

• 1/4 head red cabbage
• 1/4 head green cabbage
• 1/2 large carrot
• 1 fresh mango
• 1/16 cup pecans
• 1/8 cup coconut vinegar (other vinegars would work - but if you are gluten intollerant, make sure it is a gluten-free variety)
• 1/4 cup olive oil (other oils would work here - I think coconut oil would be really good!)

Directions:

1. Thinly slice cabbage.  Grate carrot (be careful not to grate your finger!).
2. Peel and dice mango.
3. Break pecans into small pieces.
4. Combine cabbage, carrot, mango, and pecans in a bowl.
5. In a separate bowl, blend together coconut vinegar and olive oil (I used my small food processor, but I think a brisk whisking would work as well.)
6. Combine dressing with salad.  Stir well to combine.
7. Chill at least an hour (really, this is much better chilled).  Serve and enjoy.

Pan-Fried Radishes

I have a confession to make.  I love, and I mean love, potatoes.  I've had not problems living without bread, pasta, etc.  Now potatoes...that's a different story.  But the thing is, although I don't actually have a real problem with potatoes (I know - call the Paleo police!), they don't really like me.  Kid you not, they go straight to my hips.  So, for the most part, potatoes are out.  

I think I've found a new love, however, in the form of pan-fried radishes.  I'd never really thought much about the lowly radish, and truth be known, had only ever had them in a salad.  Not sure what possessed me to cook them.  Not that I've tried them, they've fast become a favorite.  The only challenge -- they do take a bit to cook.

Ingredients

• 2-4 bunches radishes
• Ghee or other appropriate fat
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Cayenne pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Wash, trim, and cube radishes.  [I like mine in quarters to speed up the cooking time.]
2. Heat a pot of water and par-boil radishes.  [This is super-duper quick in a pressure cooker!]
3. Drain radishes well.
4. Meanwhile, heat ghee or other appropriate fat in large skillet.
5. Add radishes, a little salt, and a little cayenne pepper.  Cook until softened and browned to your liking.
6. Serve warm and enjoy.

Curried Beef and Eggplant (or Nightshade Delight)

You probably notice that we eat a lot of curry.  Today's recipe is a variation on a standard theme in our household:  meat, veggies, and spice (often, curry spices).  I have at last progressed to the point where I make my curries by taste.  I no longer need my carefully measured out curry powder to make meals.  I keep my base spices (cayenne, turmeric, paprika, chili power [Indian/Asian], cumin, cinnamon, and salt) is a nifty spice container (a masala dabba) that has a small measuring spoon (about 1/4 tsp) in it.  I use the same general proportions and keep adding a "round" until I think the spice level is about right (a little less cayene/chili power when semi-Paleo mom is eating, a little more when it's just Husband and myself).

[Picture forthcoming - the user is experiencing technical difficulties]

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Ground beef
• 1-2 Tbs Ghee (or coconut oil)
• 2 small eggplants
• 1 can fire-roasted tomatoes, with liquid (you could use fresh here, but do take the time to roast the tomatoes -- it makes a world of difference -- you'll also want all of the juices from the tomatoes)
• 2-3 rounds curry mixture, where 1 round equals:  1/2 tsp Turmeric powder; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/4 heaping tsp paprika; 1/4 tsp cayenne power; and 1/4 tsp chili powder

Directions:

1. In a large pan, brown the ground beef until almost cooked.  Drain fat.
2. Meanwhile, wash, dry, and then cut eggplant into cubes.
3. Heat ghee in a large pot (I used a smallish stock pot).  Once melted, add diced eggplant.  Cook until almost softened.  [Note:  you could use the beef fat here, but I like the taste of ghee, tomatoes, and curry and didn't feel that I needed the additional fat from the beef.]
4. Add tomatoes (including liquid) and ground beef.
5. Add 1 round of curry mixture.  Mix and taste.  Keep adding rounds until it is to your liking.  If you need a little more heat, add a little more cayenne and chili powder.
6. Let simmer until flavors have melted together and eggplant is softened to you liking.
7. Serve and enjoy.

I'm Back + Mother's Day Dessert

Sorry for the long absence...we've been in the process of moving to another state.  Seems like it has been crazy, but now we're settled.  Or almost settled...except for the fact that the movers broke our 'fridge and it won't be repaired until sometime this coming week.  I miss that appliance more than I ever thought I would.  At least our chest freezer works!

Here's the dessert I made semi-paleo mom for mother's day.  I'm ashamed to admit that before we switched to a healthier diet, I didn't think bananas were sweet.  Seriously?  They almost send me into a sugar coma now.  Definitely a decedent, special occasion (but silly easy!) dessert.

Fried Bananas

• Coconut oil
• 2 Bananas (green ones work better)

1. Slice bananas fairly thin.
2. Heat coconut oil over medium heat.
3. Once oil is melted, all bananas in a single layer and let cook until caramelized.  Resist the temptation to look too often, as they may become "mushy".
4. Turn bananas and let other side caramelize.
5. Remove from heat and serve.  Also great with a little toasted coconut.

Rita's Curried Cauliflower

This is my favorite (for now, anyway:)) version of curried cauliflower.  My husband's aunt made it for us before we left Nepal and shared her recipe.  It's the hint of the cinnamon that does it for me.  Be a little patient and cook on low - that's how you get the touch of cinnamon (without it overwhelming the dish).  Quick, easy, and full of flavor.  My kind of veggie!

Ingredients:

• Fat of choice
• 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
• 2" stick of cinnamon
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2" piece of ginger, grated or mashed into a paste
• 1/4 tsp cumin powder (you can use a little more, but it's not my favorite spice)
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• salt, to taste

Directions:

1. Heat fat over medium heat.
2. Add cinnamon and bay leaf and lightly fry for a minute or two.
3. Add in the cauliflower and ginger.
4. Mix spices with a little water (maybe about 1/4 cup) and add to the pan.
5. Turn heat down to low and cook, covered, until cauliflower is done.
6. Remove bay leaf and cinnamon and serve warm.

Spicy Daikon Radish Salad (Daikon Achar)

Daikon is another pretty new vegetable for me.  I don't know if it's always been available in the stores (I suspect it has, at least for a long time, and I just walked right by it since I didn't know what it was).  I ruined it the first time I made it:)  The next time, I tried the Latke recipe by Marks Daily Apple.  Now, I'm hooked!  My mother-in-law was kind enough to introduce me one Nepali way of making the radish.  Quick, easy, and spicy.  Tastes even better if you are able to make it ahead or the next day.  This was made for a party held for my husband and myself while here in Nepal.  We bought the daikon down the street from a local vendor.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 3 Daikon radishes, peeled
• 2 carrots, peeled
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 small red onion
•  5 Tbs ground sesame seeds
• 1 tsp fresh ginger root, peeled
• 1-2 Tbs red pepper flakes, or to taste
• Fat of choice, to fry fenugreek (traditionally, you would use mustard oil)
• 1 tsp fenugreek
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder

Directions:

1. Shred daikon and carrots (the food processor makes quick work out of this, or you can use a hand shredder).  Place in a large bowl and add salt.  Mix together and then let sit for awhile (you could finish preparing dinner while this sits).  The salt helps release the excess water.
2. Squeeze out the water (you could use a dishtowl or I like to use my salad spinner or you can use your hands).
3. Dice red onion and ginger.  Add to the daikon/carrot mixture.
4. Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat (dry).  Lightly roast sesame seeds and add to the salad.
5. Add 1-2 Tbs red pepper flakes (2 Tbs if you like a good amount of spice).
6. Heat a little oil in a small frying pan (you want an oil that can handle high heat).  Add fenugreek and fry until black (it starts out a light brown).
7. Once the fenugreek has turned black. remove the pan from the heat and then add in the turmeric powder.  Stir together and add to salad mixture.
8. Stir well.  It's now ready to serve or you can put in the refrigerator for use later.

Part of Real Food Wednesday, Fight Back Friday, and Pennywise Platter.

Sweet & Savory Celery Root Hash

Three months ago, I didn't know what celery root was.  The first time I saw it, I didn't want anything to do with it.  Even though I've acquired a love of a lot of new veggies, including Brussels sprouts, spinach, collards, and okra, celery is still one veggie that I don't really like.  Aside from not really liking celery, I was a little, well, turned off by celery root's ugly appearance.  The first time I tried celery root was with this Ugly Duckling Salad (which is totally awesome, by the way).  Amazingly enough, after I tried it, I decided celery root is pretty good -- a lot more mild than celery -- kind of a mix between celery and potato. If you haven't given it a try, you should.  After that recipe, I got brave and decided to try my own creation.  This makes a great dinner or breakfast (I had it with over-easy eggs the next morning). 

Ingredients:

• 4 oz prosciutto (you could sub bacon) 
• 1/2 - 1 Tbs ghee or other fat of choice (coconut oil might be really good)
• 1 celery root, peeled and diced
• 1 small apple (I used a Honeycrisp), washed and diced

Directions:

1. Start by browning prosciutto until it has begun to render its fat, but is not yet crispy (mine didn't have a lot of fat).
2. Add ghee (if yours has sufficient fat, you can skip this step...or if you use bacon, you won't need ghee as well).
3. Add diced celery root and cook for about 10 minutes.
4. Add apple.
5. Cook until prosciutto is crisp and celery root and apples are tender.
6. Serve and enjoy.

Part of Real Food Wednesday and Pennywise Platter.

Spiced Carrot Mash (Simple Carrot Halwa)

I didn't set out to make halwa, I simply wanted to use some ingredients I had in the 'fridge.  If you wanted to make a more elaborate version, add some raisins and nuts.  Traditionally, sugar is added to the mix, but I think carrots are sweet enough without additional sugar.  This is great as a side dish for dinner or perhaps even a light dessert.

Ingredients:

• 5 large carrots, peeled and cubed
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup coconut milk (make sure there is no added "junk" in the milk)
• 1 Tbs ghee
• 1/2 - 1 tsp curry powder
• 1/4 tsp fresh grated ginger
• Pinch of cinnamon powder

Directions:

1. Boil carrots in water until soft.  Drain and return carrots to pan (or food processor).
2. Add coconut milk (amount depends upon how many carrots you used and how creamy you want the mixture), ghee, curry, ginger, and cinnamon.  Mash (or blend/puree).  Taste and add additional seasonings as needed.
3. Serve warm or cold (yum...both versions were good!) and enjoy.

Part of Real Food Wednesday, Pennywise Platter, and Fight Back Friday.  Inspiration abounds, check out some other good ideas.

Testing for Thanksgiving: Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Squash, and Cranberries

While I'm planning to recreate some of the "classics" for our Thanksgiving dinner, I wanted something new and delicious that celebrates my new attitude and appreciation toward food.  This dish has two vegetables I used to avoid like the plague:  brussels sprouts and squash.  Will you also be shocked to know that I don't know that I've ever had fresh cranberries (my only exposure has been the canned cranberry jelly)?  Finally, I used duck fat that I rendered myself.  I never imagined that I'd ever eat duck fat, let alone render it myself:)  This got two thumbs up from the husband.  I think I could have eaten one entire pan myself!  Also, I was worried that the cranberries would be too sour without any sugar, but they mellow a lot in the baking process, are tempered by the sweet squash, and provide just a little bit of tartness to the dish.

Ingredients:

• 1 butternut squash
• 1 pound fresh brussels sprouts
• 1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries
• 2/3 to 1 cup duck fat (melted) (or other available fat of your choice -- I think chicken fat would be good as well)
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

 Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Prepare the veggies.  Remove skin, membrane, and seeds (reserve for future use) from squash.  Cut squash into cubes.  Trim and halve brussels sprouts.
3. Combine squash, sprouts, and cranberries in a large baking dish (I split it into two since I don't have a really large pan).  Sprinkle salt on top and then add duck fat.  Stir to combine.
4. Place baking dish in the oven for about 25 minutes or until the veggies are beginning to brown, stirring once or twice.
5. After 25 minutes or so, reduce heat to 350 degrees F and cook another 25-30 minutes until the veggies (especially the brussels sprouts) are cooked to desired tenderness.
6. Serve and devour.

Part of Kelly the Kitchen Kop's Real Food Wednesday, the Nourishing Gourmet's Pennywise Platter, and the Food Renegade's Fight Back Friday.


Featured on Whole9 Life's Steal This Meal Thanksgiving Part II.

Pumpkin Pancakes

What can I say?  I love pumpkin!  I woke up today with the notion to make pumpkin pancakes.  These got two thumbs up from the mostly-paleo husband and not-so-paleo mom.  The inspiration for these comes from these totally awesome chocolate pancakes and a similar recipe in Robb Wolf's Paleo Solution.

Ingredients:

• 2 pastured eggs
• 1/4 cup shredded (unsweetened) coconut flakes
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree (if using canned, make sure the only ingredient is pumpkin)
• 1/4 cup unsweetened almond or other nut butter (if you have a nut allergy, you might try unsweetened sunbutter)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• Coconut oil (for cooking)

Directions:

1. Heat griddle or pan.
2. Whisk the ingredients together until a smooth batter is formed.
3. Drop some coconut oil onto griddle or into pan.  Allow to melt.
4. Add pancake batter and cook on one side until bubbles start to form on the top and around the edge, and bottom is lightly golden.  Flip and cook another minute or two.
5. Serve with fruit, unsweetened jelly, maple syrup, or other condiment of choice (also good plain or with a little coconut butter on top).

Part of Real Food Wednesday by Kelly the Kitchen Kop, Pennywise Platter by The Nourishing Gourmet,and Fight Back Friday by the  Food Renegade.

CrockPot Beef with New Mexico Red Chile Sauce

One of my favorite foods is the New Mexico chile pepper.  Red or green, it doesn't generally matter, I love them both.  This recipe is a slight adaptation of one of my favorite dishes - carne adovada - pork in a red chile sauce.  I've made a slight variation of this recipe many times with great success.  I've changed things up to use grass-fed beef and cook it in the crock-pot.  

Warning:  in order for the flavors to fully develop, you need to allow at least 24 hours or more for marinating time.

Ingredients:

• 3-4 pounds grass-fed beef (I used a roast)
• 16 New Mexico dried red chile pods
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1/2 Tbs kosher salt (more or less, to taste)
• 1/8 tsp oregano

Directions:

1. Broil chiles in the oven for about 30 seconds each side, until they are black and blistered.  Leave oven door slightly cracked, and be mindful of the fumes.
2. Once the chiles are cooked, soak them in boiling water for 45-60 minutes (again, be mindful of the fumes).   Reserve this water, as you'll use it to make the sauce. Then, transfer them to cool water.
3. While chiles are soaking, cut beef into cubes (about the size of stew meat).
4. Once the chiles have cooled enough, use your hands to remove the outer skin and the seeds (if desired; the seeds are where the heat is, so use to your taste).  I recommend some gloves during this process.  Please be careful of touching your eyes after you handle the chiles.
5. Place the chiles, garlic, salt, oregano, and about 2 cups of the water in a blender or food processor.  Blend until a nice sauce has formed.
6. Place the meat into a plastic ziplock bag or other device appropriate for marinating meat.  Add sauce and make sure all of the meat is covered.
7. Marinate in the refrigerator at least 24 hours.  I marinated around 36 hours.
8. Place meat in a crock-pot.  Set time for low, 8 hours.
9. Serve and enjoy!  The meat should be really tender, with a flavorful red sauce.

Part of Real Food Wednesday  by Kelly the Kitchen Kop.  If you are looking for more real food ideas, check out the other links!

Savory Beef and Squash Pie

Holy cow, Batman, this dish was so good that I couldn't wait to share it with you.  The squash is slightly sweet, counteracting the spicy and savory goodies underneath.  I love this recipe because you could use whatever veggies you have on hand.  Don't have those I used?  No worries, toss in whatever you have in your 'fridge.  Great way to use up leftover veggies.

The funny thing is, a year ago (okay, seven months ago even), I wouldn't have touched squash with a ten-foot pole.  I most certainly would not have thought squash tasted "sweet".  How the mighty have fallen:)  Our taste buds can, and do, change when you stop the processed food and continue to try new things!

Ingredients:

• Butternut Squash - 1 decent size or 2 small
• Coconut oil (or ghee) - 1 Tbs or so
• Leeks (or onions), diced - 1 cup or so
• Sliced mushrooms - 8 oz or so
• Ground beef (grass fed; or other combination of ground meat) - 2 lbs
• Emeril's Creole Seasoning (note:  I use a lot less salt than the recipe calls for, you may need to adjust depending upon your preference for salt) - 3-4 Tbs (to taste - you probably want to start with less and add until it tastes good to you)
• Garlic powder - 1 Tbs (to taste)
• Onion powder - 1 tsp (to taste)
• Kosher salt - 1/4 tsp (to taste) (if you use the Emeril Creole Seasoning per the recipe, you'll probably want to omit the salt here)
• 2 tomatoes, diced
• Tomato paste, 1 Tbs
• Fresh spinach - 2 to 3 cups
• Coconut Butter - 2 Tbs (this will depend upon how much squash you have)
• Coconut Milk (canned, get the kind without the "gunk") - 1/2 cup (again, this will depend on your squash, use less and add more as needed)
• Cayenne pepper - 1/4 tsp (maybe a little more if you like things spicy)
• Cinnamon - 1-2 tsp

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  
2. Cut squash in half.  Remove seeds and membranes.  Put in a pan to roast.  Roast for 350 degrees for about 50 minutes (you can also use water in the roasting process, but this worked for me and seemed easier).
3. Heat oil over medium heat.  Once heated, add leeks (or onions).  After a few minutes, add mushrooms.  Cook until tender, maybe 5-10 minutes.
4. Add ground beef and cook until no longer pink.
5. Add spices (Emeril though salt), tomatoes, and tomato paste.  Cook for a few minutes until tomatoes begin to release their juices.  Then add the spinach.  Cook until spinach is wilted.
6. Put ground beef mixture in the bottom of your roasting pan.
7. Remove cooked squash flesh from the skin.  With the flesh, puree the coconut butter, coconut milk, cayenne pepper, and cinnamon until desired consistency is reached (I put this all in the food processor for a few quick whirls; you could also use a hand blender or hand-held potato masher...whatever you have that works).  Spread squash puree over the tom of the ground beef mixture.
8. Bake about 20 minutes.

Variation:

Use curry powder instead of Creole seasoning; add fresh ginger and some type of spicy pepper to meat mixture; and add a little powdered ginger to squash.

Part of the Real Food Wednesday carnival at Kelly the Kitchen Kop; there are some great website you should check out! 

Flat Bread

Bread?  Have I gone mad?  Maybe I need to review the foods one eats while enjoying the Paleo lifestyle?  'Cause eating Paleo, one doesn't eat bread unless it's a rare indulgence (and you aren't gluten intolerant!).  And if it's made with nut flours, well, that's a pass too, at least most days.  

But hold on a minute before you stop reading about this totally awesome recipe I found here.  With only 3 (yes, 3) ingredients, one of which is a vegetable, you are going to be blown away.   Well, maybe not blown away in the same way you would with a fresh loaf of bread baked in a French bakery you found while walking down the streets of Paris...but pretty good, actually:)  I must admit I had doubts, but I was pleasantly surprised.  Another bonus:  an extra touch of veggies.  Although I'm lucky in that my family loves veggies, if you have kiddos or others who don't, this might be a great way to sneak in some extra veggies.  These come out thin and airy, but surprisingly sturdy (although I'm not sure you'd want them for say, sloppy joes).  Stay tuned for what I do with these bad boys in future posts (besides just eat them out of the pan...yum).

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup cooked, drained, and pureed veggies (you can probably use about anything; I used cauliflower)
• 4 egg yolks
• 6 egg whites (save the extra 2 yolks for something else)
• 1 tsp salt (I think next time I'll use 3/4 tsp)
• Ghee or oil to grease pans

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
2. Cook and puree veggies.  If you already have leftover veggies, go ahead and puree them.  I tried to get a nice, smooth consistency.  You want the mash to be pretty thick, so make sure you drain your veggies first before you puree.
3. Separate eggs.  Beat egg whites with salt until they are stiff.
4. Mix yolks with veggies.
5. Carefully fold veggie/yolk mixture with egg white mixture until blended.
6. Grease the dickens out of a pan (or use Silpat, which I don't have...but may need some day:)).  Seriously, this is important.  I didn't grease my first batch well enough (though I thought I did at the time) and I lost half of my "bread" to the bottom of the pan.
7. Either spread mixture over pan (which I did) or create pancake-like shapes (for hamburger "buns" perhaps).  Cook until top is lightly golden browned, about 30 minutes.
8. Serve and enjoy.

Cocoa-Rubbed Steaks

This isn't really the most novel recipe for a steak rub, but it was sure good!  I personally love steak any which way.  Salt and pepper work just fine.  But every now and then, I'm looking for something different.  I saw some old Bobby Flay episode on the food network, where he was making coffee-rubbed steak, and thought how great a nice cocoa-rubbed steak would be (I use different spices than he does, but I would think that his recipe, where cocoa is subbed for the coffee, would be great as well).  We don't drink coffee, you see, and so I had to move on to something we did have on hand (I know we are the 2 weirdest folks on the planet -- but there you have it).

Ingredients:

• 1 large steak (preferably some type of grass-fed meat)
• 1-2 T coconut oil
• 1 1/2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp each:  salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, and cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp ground ginger

Directions:

1. Heat skillet.
2. Mix spices (cocoa powder through ginger) together.
3. Rub one side of the steak with coconut oil and spice mixture.
4. Place in screaming hot skillet to sear.  Meanwhile, but other side of steak with coconut oil and spice mixture (careful here not to burn yourself).
5. Sear other side.
6. Reduce heat to low and cook through under cooked to your liking.

Pumpkin Custard Cups

Okay, so a bit of warning before I get into this recipe.  I don't each much sweet food anymore; a bit of fruit every now and again (though less now that we're moving away from summer).  For this reason, it doesn't take much for me to think something is sweet.  I also rarely crave "sweet" food these days (hooray for conquering the sweet demon!) and don't generally eat foods that encourage my dormant sweet tooth (although I will probably indulge in the chocolate cake I'm planning for my dear husband's birthday...but that'll be another post for another day).  Pumpkin and coconut are naturally sweet ingredients to me, so I didn't add any additional sweetener.  Depending upon your taste, you might add some fruit (pureed (ripe) banana or dates) or other sugar (honey, maple syrup, coconut crystals, etc. -- maybe 1 -2 T).

Anyway, pumpkin is a quintessential fall food in my mind.  I love it from October through December (okay, any time of the year really, but especially so this time of the year:)).  With all of the lovely pumpkins in the store, and a crisp to the air (finally), I couldn't help but make something that makes the most of one of my favorite vegetables.  This recipe is super-duper easy AND tastey (at least I thought so).  In my mind, a perfect breakfast (with a side of buffalo andouille sausage) and I can't wait for breakfast again tomorrow.

Ingredients:

• 1 can pumpkin (15 oz can or about 1.5-2 cups mashed pumpkin; make sure if you get the canned kind the only ingredient is pumpkin)
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup coconut butter (you want it to be softened, but not melted...think room temperature butter)
• 1/2 cup coconut milk (if you use the canned kind, you want the "cream" portion that rises to the top if you don't shake the can)
• 1-3 Tbs cinnamon (yes, I really love cinnamon!)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 tsp each, ground: nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and cardamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees (don't worry, we'll turn it down!).
2. Mix ingredients together until they are all completely combined (you want them mixed up well so that you have a pie consistency, and don't get chunks of "scrambled eggs").
3. Pour into muffin cups (I got  6 very full muffin cups).  You could put this into a pie pan (you'll probably need to adjust your baking time), but I wanted a "grab and go" breakfast this week.
4. Put in the oven at bake for 10 minutes.  Then, turn down the oven to 350 degrees and bake another 40 minutes or so.  When your knife comes out clean, your cups are done.  Note:  your oven may well cook differently.  You may want to check the doneness after 30 minutes or so.
5. Let cool before attempting to remove from the muffin pans (unless you don't care what it looks like...which I didn't when I wanted to taste one this morning).

Make-ahead Beef in a Spicy Tomato Sauce (Chhoyala)

     I don't know if I've mentioned it, but my dear husband is from Nepal.  More specifically, he is from the Kathmandu valley and is a Newar.  According to my good friends at Wikipedia (they know everything, right?), the term Newar applies roughly to the descendants of citizens of Medieval Nepal (consisting of Kathmandu Valley as the capital and the ever changing territory with the farthest extent being Gandaki river to the west and the Koshi river to the east, Tibet to the north and Terai to the south).  They are united by their common language, which is Newari.  

     Anyway, this is a dish introduced to me by my sister-in-law during Thanksgiving one year.  Basically, it's beef in a spicy tomato sauce.  Yum.   Chhoyala (don't ask me how to pronounce this - my Nepali and Newari are terrible - even my husband can barely understand me, even when he knows what I'm trying to say) is a traditional party dish, typically made early in the day and served later.  One thing about the Newars, they love to party.  There is a festival and feast for everything you can imagine. Yes, feasts.  Newars are big on feasts, or big parties, with lots of food.  Much of the food is simple to prepare, yet very tasty -- my kind of food!  Chhoyala is more than likely to be a snack food or appetizer, but I like it as a main dish.

     It's a perfect make-ahead meal...like on Sunday afternoon when I'm in the mood to cook.  And little prep the night before, and voila, dinner ready for Monday night, when I'm dragging myself home from work and thegym and don't feel like cooking...but sure feel like eating:)  Although you can eat it right after it's finished, it tastes WAY better the next day after the flavors have a chance to meld and the tomatoes have time to break-down (tenderize) the meat.  

     In the Kathmandu valley, one would typically make Chhoyala with water buff.  Since I can't find water buff here (okay, I've not yet had buff, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't taste like chicken), I used beef stew meat, but you could use pork, lamb, chicken, buffalo, etc.  You would typically eat this with beaten rice (and have some rice wine), but since I rarely indulge in rice, I serve it with cauliflower rice or shredded cabbage.

Ingredients:

• Stew meat, 2 lbs (use any meat you have on hand - if you are using another type of meat, you'll want to cut it into cubes)
• Turmeric powder, 2 tsp
• Salt, 1/4 tsp (or to taste)
• 4-5 large tomatoes (you can also use canned, but make sure you get the fire roasted tomatoes, preferably without salt) 
• 3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/4-1/2 tsp fresh ginger, chopped
• 1 Tbs cayenne pepper, or to taste (alternatively, if you have jalapenos or other peppers, you could use those as your heat component)
• 1 Tbs oil 
• 1 tsp fenugreek (also known as methi seed) (optional)

Directions:

1. Roast tomatoes if using fresh.  I pop mine under the broiler of my toaster oven.  You could also put them on your stove if you have a gas range or throw them on the grill.  Roast until blistered, turning as necessary to ensure blistering on all sides.
2. Coat meat with turmeric powder and salt.  You have two choices with the meat:  either boil it in a little water until cooked or brown until no longer pink (or to desired doneness).  Both taste really good.  I like them both equally well.  Once cooked, remove from heat and reserve.
3. Once tomatoes are roasted, transfer to a food processor.  Add garlic, ginger, and cayenne pepper (or peppers).  Blend until mixed.
4. If you are using the fenugreek, heat oil in a pan.  Add fenugreek and cook until blackened.  The dish tastes fine without the fenugreek - but if you have it - then use it.  I'll introduce you to other recipes that use fenugreek if you have an interest in trying it, but don't want to waste the money for a "one-time" spice.
5. Add fenugreek (if using) and oil to the tomato mixture.  Mix again.  Taste, adjust seasonings as necessary (you may need a little bit of salt here).
6. Once pureed, mix the tomato mixture with the beef.  Refrigerate at least 8 hours, but preferably overnight.  Tastes great cold or reheated.

Nepali Wedding Soup

It's cold outside today.  About a 25 degree drop in temperature compared to yesterday;  indeed, today is the first day it has actually felt like fall!  What better way to celebrate the change in seasons than a steaming bowl of soup?  

This is a different take on one of my favorite soups -- the Italian wedding soup -- modified to include traditional Nepali flavors and zucchini instead of pasta.

For the soup:

• Ghee or oil
• 3/4 onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced (optional - I had one that needed to be used before it went bad)
• 2-3 T curry powder, or to taste (start on the low end, you can always add more as you cook)
• 1 T garlic, minced
• 1 T ginger, minced (you can store your ginger in the refrigerator to keep it on hand; but, if you don't have any, sub ginger powder, maybe about 1 tsp)
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 or 2 carrots, chopped
• 1 zucchini, cut in rounds or long, like noodles
• 4 cups homemade beef or chicken stock
• 1 jalapeno pepper, kept whole, but sliced lengthwise (it's going to act like a bay leaf)
• Meatballs (see below)
• Spinach

For the meatballs:

• 2 lb ground meat (you can use any combination; I'm particularly fond of beef/pork)
• 1/4 onion, VERY finely diced (you don't want to be eating large chunks of onion in your meatballs)
• 1/2 cup cilantro, diced
• 1 tsp garlic, finely diced
• 1 tsp ginger, finely diced (again, you could use ginger powder if you don't have fresh)
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/4 tsp cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 jalapeno pepper, VERY finely diced (for less heat, omit the seeds)

Directions:

1. Heat ghee/oil in a soup pan.  Add onion and red bell pepper.  Cook until onions are translucent, but not browned.
2. Add curry powder, garlic, ginger, and tomatoes.  Mix with onions and peppers and cook another minute or so.
3. Add carrots, zucchini, stock, and jalapeno.
4. Bring to a simmer.
5. Meanwhile, mix all ingredients for meatballs (ground meat through jalapeno pepper).  Form into meatballs.
6. Add meatballs to soup.  Let cook about 5-10 minutes, until vegetables are tender and meatballs are cooked through.
7. Add spinach and cook until spinach is wilted.
8. Taste, and adjust seasonings as necessary.
9. Remove jalapeno pepper and serve.

The Proof is in the Pudding: This Paleo Stuff Works

For the most part, my intent with this blog is to share tasty Paleo recipes that others might enjoy.  But, I just had to share today's exciting news.  This Paleo stuff works!  Now, I already knew that it helped with body re-composition (i.e., weight loss), because I've lost a fair number of inches and my husband lost his belly.  And I already knew that it helped my performance in the gym -- both lifting and CrossFit metcons.  And I knew that it helped alleviate my PCOS symptoms.  But even with all that, most people attribute it to plain ol' diet changes -- you know, that it's really that I just decreased my calories (although I actually eat more calories now than before, but whatever).  I know different, but it's hard to prove that food composition really matters.  

But today, I have some tangible proof (okay, maybe people will make the same arguments...).  My husband has had high cholesterol the entire time we've been married -- it started at the ripe old age of 22 for him (me, though overweight most of my life, great cholesterol, go figure).  I cooked for him the way you are supposed to according to the American Heart Association.  You know, low-fat, lots of fiber through whole grains, etc.  He's always been active and pretty much at his ideal weight (even with a small beer gut in the last year or two).  But always the cholesterol.  We figured it must be hereditary...not much else we could do, right?  Lipitor was in his future.  

Fast forward to 6 months of primarily Paleo eating for the hubby, and guess what the results showed today?  Cholesterol that is in the normal range.  Seriously -- only 6 months of generally eating Paleo and we've accomplished something that 12 years of the SAD couldn't accomplish.  For me, the proof is in the pudding...or should I say lab work?

I imagine if you've somehow found my little blog that you're already interested in Paleo.  But if you're sitting on the fence, wondering if you can really make this kind of commitment, I encourage you to give it a try.  What do you have to lose (except for inches and some points on the bad cholesterol)?

A quick and easy recipe coming your way soon.  Lots of traveling this week, which means no cooking at home or recipes to share.

Browned Cabbage with Hot Pepper

I get a lot of questions asking what I eat for breakfast.  My usual response is: "uh, food?".  I don't know if folks think I eat small children and pets or if they just can't fathom life without milk & cereal; toast & jelly; bagels & cream cheese; etc.  After I mention the food part, I move to the basic explanation: "meat, good fat, and veggies".  That usually leads to the question: "so, what do eat"?  (I'm not kidding here.)  In response to that question, the answer for today is eggs and browned cabbage.  The cabbage (and eggs) is great for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.  It come straight from A Fresh Taste of Italy, although it's so simple, I can't believe I needed a recipe:)

Ingredients:

• 1 large head of cabbage (about 3 pounds)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 4 large cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper, or to taste
• Kosher salt, to taste (optional)

Directions:

1. Cut cabbage into 1-inch pieces.
2. Heat oil, garlic, and peppers in a large pot over medium-low heat.  Cook until garlic is fragrant, but not brown.
3. Add cabbage and stir to coat cabbage with oil.  Cover and cook, stirring often, for about 20 minutes or so.  Cabbage should be lightly browned and tender.
4. Sprinkle lightly with salt, if needed.