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.

Lebanese-Spiced Spaghetti & Meatballs

I LOVE Lebanese food.  It's flavorful without being spicy (although I like spice as well, don't get me wrong:)).  A friend in grad school, who had lived in Jordan for 20 years, introduced me to this awesomeness.  My mom gave this two-thumbs up and said I could make this anytime.

Ingredients:

• Spaghetti squash
• Onion
• Ghee or other appropriate oil
• 2 lb ground beef
• 2 Tbs Spice mix*, divided
• 1 bunch parsley
• 2 cans no-salt added tomato sauce

Directions:

1. Preheat oven and begin cooking spaghetti squash (I admit that I often cook it in the microwave...).
2. Peel and chop onion. 
3. Add ghee to a large sauce pan (big enough for sauce and meatballs) and when melted, add onion.  Cook until onion is caramelized.
4. Once the onions are caramelized, add tomato sauce and 1 Tbs spice mixture.  Stir, and reduce heat to simmer.
5. Meanwhile, chop parsley.
6. Mix together beef, parsley, and 2 Tbs of spice mix.  
7. Make meatballs. 
8. Heat another pan and brown meatballs on all sides.  You don't want to cook the meatballs all the way through, just get a nice brown on the outsides.  [You could also broil in the oven or you can skip the step entirely - I just happen to like my meatballs a little browned:)]
9. Once meatballs are browned, add to the tomato sauce mixture and let simmer until meatballs are cooked.
10. Serve over spaghetti squash.

*  Spice blend

Combine together equal parts (probably about 1 tsp each) of the following:

• Ground Nutmeg
• Ground Ginger
• Ground Allspice
• Ground Fenugreek (methi)
• Ground Cloves
• Ground Cinnamon
• Ground Pepper
• Sea Salt

Eggplant Crisps

I intended to make eggplant Parmesan, without the Parmesan (I'm dairy intolerant) (but don't ask me what I was going to call said dinner...).  

Obviously, from the title of my post, eggplant Parmesan without the Parmesan didn't happen because (mainly) we were eating these little babies right off the pan and it seemed like too much work to cook them again with the sauce.  

Seriously, these are GOOOD, like Lays potato chips...bet you can't just eat one!  Served here with an Italian meat and veggie sauce.

Ingredients:

• 2 eggplants
• 2 eggs + 2 Tbs water
• 1 cup pork rinds, ground (the 1 cup is measured once the rinds are ground)

Directions:

1. Peel and slice eggplant.  Then, in a pan with a lip (to catch the dripping water), liberally salt both sides of the eggplant.  Let sit at least 15 minutes, but closer to an hour is better.  (I don't actually know if the liquid that comes out is "bitter" and needs to be released, but the end result is pretty tasty, so I went with the common thought process regarding eggplant.  Anyway, I digress.)
2. Rinse salt from eggplant and pat dry.
3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
4. Beat together eggs and water.
5. Pulverize pork rinds.
6. Take a piece of eggplant, dip into egg mixture, shake off, dip into pork rind mixture.  Place on a baking sheet (I'd suggest some parchment paper here...otherwise, a few of them stick awful bad to the baking sheet.)
7. When they are all breaded, place into the oven and cook between 30 and 40 minutes.  You want the outside to be crispy, but not burnt.
8. Eat and enjoy.  Tender on the inside, crispy on the outside.  Yum! 

Beef in a Spicy Curry Sauce

I started out trying to make a vindaloo, which is one of my favorite Indian dishes when we go out.  It's a safe food - I know I can or will eat everything that's in there (sometimes I'm even good and skip the potatoes...). 

But, much as I like it, we only eat out once a month or so, and I decided to see if I could recreate my favorite.  Of course, we don't eat a lot of chicken since it's pretty difficult to find pastured chicken here, so I adapted the recipe to be made with beef. This didn't turn out to be what I envisioned, but it tastes great at any rate!  (I adapted from this recipe.)  Hope you enjoy as well.  [It does taste good...really...in spite of the fact that I'm not a very good photographer:)]

Ingredients:

• 2 lb stew meat
• Ghee or other appropriate oil
• 2 yellow onions, peeled and sliced
• 3" piece of peeled ginger
• 2 oz peeled garlic
• 1 tsp fenugreek (methi) seeds
• 1/8-1/4 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 4 tsp hot chili powder (to taste!) or fresh hot peppers
• 2 tsp salt
• 3-4 tsp coconut vinegar

Directions:

1. Cook beef in the pressure cooker to tenderize.  [You could use another method, but this is both quick and yield really tender beef.]
2. Meanwhile, heat ghee in a pan.  Once ghee has melted, add onions.  Cook onions until they are very caramelized (a dark brown color -- just before they burn pull 'em off the heat). 
3. In a small fry pan, add a little ghee.  Once hot, add fenugreek seeds.  Cook until dark brown.  Then, add cumin seeds.  Cook until fenugreek seeds begin to turn black.  Finally, add mustard seeks and cook until funegreek seeds are a dark black.  Remove from heat.
4. In a food processor (or blender, etc.), combine caramelized onions, ginger, garlic, blackened spice mixture, ground coriander, chili powder, salt, and vinegar.  Blend until a nice paste is formed.
5. Mix together meat and spices, then cool to marinade, at least half an hour.
6. When ready to serve, gently heat on the stove.
7. Serve warm over cauliflower rice (or, for us today, spaghetti squash) 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.