Category Archives: Paleo

Slow Cooker Wednesday – Pot Roast with Turnips

This week I made a HUGE pot roast.  I’m going to be eating it for days!  It turned out okay.  I think I made a mistake when I prepped it the night before and put the vinegar in.  I think sitting in vinegar all night made the taste a little strong. Next time I would put the vinegar in right before turning the cooker on for the day.  But it was still good!

IMG_1671

 

2 tablespoons coconut oil

5 pound bottom round and chuck roast

5 cloves garlic, minced

2 onions, diced

2 teaspoons oregano

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

4 medium carrots, sliced

3 celery stalks, sliced

4 turnips, chopped into cubes

1 cup beef broth

1 cup red wine vinegar

IMG_1672

 

Turn your slow cooker on high while you begin to prepare the dish.  In a large skillet, heat up coconut oil.  Once hot, place the roast into the pan and sear it on all sides (about 2 minutes each side).  Transfer the roast to the slow cooker.  Place all the remaining ingredients into the cooker and place the lid on it.  Cook on low for 8 to 9 hours.

IMG_1675

 

The meat is so tender on this and the veggies melt in your mouth! Note that I didn’t peel my veggies.  I believe that a lot of minerals and nutrients reside in the skin so I leave it on.  Just make sure to really scrub it clean!  Another super easy week day meal and it’s Paleo!  Happy cooking!

Advertisement

Cold Weather Meal – Chicken, Yam and Chard Soup

It was a beautiful 80 degree weekend this week but I knew it was gonna be cold and grey like it is today so I searched and found this interesting soup recipe at http://www.paleoplan.com.  I wasn’t sure sweet potatoes were actually Paleo but turns out white potatoes are the only root veggie that isn’t.  So here it is!

2 tablespoons coconut oil

1 yellow onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium carrot, chopped

1 teaspoon thyme

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon sea salt, divided

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

4 cups chicken broth

6 cups water

1 bay leaf

2 jalapenos, diced

1 large yam, diced

1 bunch Swiss chard, chopped

1 bunch green onions, sliced (greens and whites)

Juice of 1 lemon

IMG_1669

Heat large pot over medium heat.  When hot, add oil, onion, garlic, carrot, thyme and oregano, and saute until onion is softened and slightly translucent (about 10 minutes), stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, mix 1/4 teaspoon sea salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper in a medium bowl.  Cut chicken thighs into 1 inch cubes and toss in sea salt and black pepper mixture.  Add chicken to the pot and continue to cook for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Reduce heat to medium, add broth, water, bay leaf, jalapeno, yam, chard,and green onions and simmer for 20 minutes.  Just before serving, season with remaining sea salt, pepper, and lemon juice (I forgot this step but it’s still yummy).

IMG_1670

This one is very hearty and I love the consistency of it.  It feels so nutritious!  In other news, I figured out why my pictures were coming out so dark so no more dark ugly photos!  Slowly but surely I will learn to use this camera 🙂 Happy cooking!

Remember those leeks? – Chicken with Creamy Braised Leeks

A week or so ago I posted on my Facebook page that I had 5 leeks I was looking to do something with. Most people said to put them in soup but being the adventurer that I am I chose to try something different.  I put on in stir fry, but I found this recipe which suggested I use mashed potatoes for the leftover sauce.  I make a mashed cauliflower that is one of Rob’s favorite things and as luck would have it he’d just recently requested it so I had discovered the perfect meal option!  Mashed cauliflower is a great option for Paleo peeps who love mashed potatoes but can’t eat them on Paleo.

IMG_1662MASHED CAULIFLOWER

1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets

1/4 cup chicken broth

Steam the cauliflower in a steaming basket until very tender.  I put it on when I started prepping the chicken and once the chicken was done I took the cauliflower off the burner.  Once done steaming, put the cauliflower in a medium size bowl and mash with a potato masher or fork until there are no more large chunks.  Add chicken broth and mix well.  This does not have the same consistency as mashed potatoes so there will be some chunkiness to it.

IMG_1666

 

CHICKEN AND LEEKS

4 medium leeks

2 cups chicken broth

3 garlic cloves, halved

3 sprigs fresh thyme

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/2 teaspoon salt, divided

1/2 teaspoon pepper, divided

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 cup canned coconut milk (you can use heavy cream as well)

IMG_1665

 

 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Trim roots and dark tops from leeks, leaving 5 to 6 inches of white and light green parts.  Cut the leeks in half lengthwise; rinse well.  Place the leeks in a single layer in a 9-b-13-inch baking dish, on their sides if necessary, nestling them together.  Pour in broth, submerge the garlic and thyme in the broth between the leeks.  Bake for 40  minutes.

IMG_1667After about 30 minutes, sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper.  Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat; add chicken and cook until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes per side.  Remove from heat.  After 40 minutes remove the leeks from the oven and nestle the chicken into them.  You may need to add more broth at this point.  Add coconut milk and about 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the hot skillet (do not turn the burner back on).  Stir up any browned bits and let the coconut milk heat up from the warmth of the pan.  Pour the cream mixture over the leeks and chicken.  Return the baking dish to the oven and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes.  Serve chicken with the braised leeks and mashed cauliflower, spooning sauce over everything.

IMG_1668This was super yummy and very filling.  The  leeks are so tender!  Happy cooking!

 

 

A New Take On Fish – Steamed Bass with Fennel, Parsley, and Capers

I usually serve my fish with some sort of vegetable on the side but this time I put the fish over it!  This recipe is from the Hungry for Change cookbook.  It’s uber healthy and while it’s a little bland, a little added salt perked it right up!

IMG_16541/4 medium while onion, sliced

1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced

Juice of 1/2 lemon

2 5-oz portions of sea bass

1/2 teaspoon unrefined sea salt

1 tablespoon capers, rinsed

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Cooked brown rice

IMG_1656Put the onion, fennel, and lemon juice in a medium sauce pot and cover with one inch of water.  Bring to a boil, then lower the heat slightly and simmer for 5 minutes.  Place the 2 portions of fish into the pot.  Season with salt and sprinkle with parsley and capers.  Cover and simmer for about 8-10 minutes, or until the fish is almost flaky.

Divide the brown rice between two bowls and place the vegetables over the rice.  Top each serving with the fish.

IMG_1657

 

Voila! This is so easy to make and so healthy! Happy cooking!

 

 

The Main Event – Roast Chicken with Lemon and Herbs

This is the final post in my Valentine’s Day series.  I’ve only ever roasted a whole chicken one other time.  Mainly because I don’t have a good carving knife but also because a whole chicken is a lot of meat for one person! But with Rob to help consume I figured why not do it? It’s a special occasion right?  So here we go!

IMG_1632

1 whole chicken (about 4 pounds)

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice, plus two whole lemons

1 tablespoon coarse sea salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Fresh herbs for garnish (4 rosemary springs, 4 sage sprigs, 8 thyme sprigs)

IMG_1634Position an oven rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees.  Remove the giblets from the chicken, wash it inside and out with cold water, then let it drain, cavity down, in a colander for 2 minutes.

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels.  Place it breast side down in a medium roasting pan fitted with a rack and pour the lemon juice all over the chicken, both inside and out.  Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper inside and out.

Prick 2 whole lemons three times each in three different places with a fork and place them deep inside the cavity.  Really stick the fork in.  I didn’t push it in far enough and there were barely any drippings for the sauce.  Chicken cavity sizes may vary, so  if one lemon is partly sticking out, that’s okay.

Put the chicken in the oven lower the temperature to 350 degrees, and roast, uncovered, for 15 minutes.

Remove the roasting pan from the oven.  Using tongs or two wooden spoons, turn the chicken breast side up.  Insert a meat thermometer in the thigh, and return the chicken to the oven and roast for about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the meat thermometer reads 180 degrees and the juices run clear when the thigh is pricked with a fork.  Continue roasting if necessary.  Keep in mind that cooking times in different ovens vary, roasting a chicken at 350 degrees take about 18-20 minutes per pound, plus an additional 15 minutes.

Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before carving.  Pour the juices from the roasting pan on top of the sliced chicken.  Garnish with fresh herbs.

IMG_1640I’ll be honest, this chicken was really good but I think it could have been better.  I don’t think I cooked it long enough.  While it was really tender and tasty, there was no juice from the lemons inside to pour over the chicken.  I’m planning on trying this again to see if I can get it to come out right.  I really love lemon sauce so I was disappointed that there wasn’t any.  The little bit of drippings that I did get were really good so I know it would be a stellar dish!  Ladies, be careful who you serve this dish to.  It should be someone you love!  If you want to know why, send me a message on the Facebook page and I’ll tell you!  Let me know how yours turns out.  Happy cooking!

The Perfect Party Salad – Roasted Cherry Tomatoes and Arugula Salad

My next couple of posts will feature dishes that I served for Rob and my Valentine’s Day dinner.  We stayed in and cooked since restaurants on Valentine’s day are just ridiculous.  This salad would work great for any party or summer BBQ.

2 pints red or yellow cherry tomatoes

Olive oil for drizzling

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Leaves from 6 thyme sprigs

1 bag (10 oz) washed arugula

3 Belgian endives, thickly sliced

DRESSING

1/2 shallot, finely chopped

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Juice of 1 lemon

1/3 cup olive oil

IMG_1635

 

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Spread the tomatoes on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil, and drizzle with olive oil.  Season with salt, pepper, and thyme; toss gently to coat.

Roast the tomatoes for 15 minutes, or until almost bursting.  Remove from the oven and let cool.

While the tomatoes are roasting, prepare the dressing: In a small bowl, combine the shallot, mustard, and lemon juice, and add a little salt and pepper.  Whisk in the olive oil in a steady slow stream.

In a salad bowl, combine the arugula, endives and roasted tomatoes.  Add the dressing and toss gently.  If you’re a cheese person (neither Rob nor I can eat it) add 6 oz of Gorgonzola or another blue cheese at this step.

IMG_1639I will admit that I didn’t prep for this dinner the way I should have and I had to cook the tomatoes for about 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees.  It still turned out good but I’m curious what it would be like if I had done it the way it was supposed to be done!  I’ll probably try this salad again with spinach to see how it goes.  Happy cooking!

 

Belated Mardi Gras Meal – Seafood Gumbo

I promised you all Slow Cooker Thursdays and then promptly got so busy I couldn’t find time to cook! So I give you slow cooker Tuesday! I didn’t have time to do my normal Sunday dinner this week so I filled in with this gumbo.  It’s very easy to make and turned out so good!

IMG_1643

2 tablespoons coconut oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 medium onions, chopped

2 celery stalks, sliced

2 bell peppers, seeded and chopped

14 oz can of organic diced tomatoes, undrained

2 cups chicken broth

2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons sea salt

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried)

2 bay leaves

1 1/2 pounds raw shrimp

1 1/2 pounds fresh or frozen crab meat

10 oz sliced okra

IMG_1645

 

Turn your slow cooker on high while you get your ingredients ready.

In a large frying pan, heat up the coconut oil.  Saute the garlic, onions, celery, and bell peppers until tender.  Transfer the cooked vegetables into the slow cooker.  Pour the diced tomatoes and chicken broth in the slow cooker.  Add the Cajun seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, salt, thyme, and bay leaves.  Place the lid on the slow cooker and turn the temperature to low.  Cook on low for four hours.

Add the shrimp, crab meat, and okra to the cooker and cook for 1 more hour.  Serve.

IMG_1647Rob told me this was one of the best gumbos he had ever had, and he eats a lot of gumbo.  That made my night since he’s usually pretty honest about whether or not he likes something!  I hope yours turns out!  Happy cooking!

 

 

Slow Cooker Thursday – Fruit & Nutty Pork Chops

It’s time for another edition of my slow cooker series.  I’ve decided to do a slow cooker post every Thursday.  It might be a tall order as the semester gets under way.  We’ll see.  This week I did pork chops and they turned out pretty good!

IMG_15892 tablespoons coconut oil

5-6 thick-sliced pork chops

2 tart apples

1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

2 small onions, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon sea salt

2 teaspoons coarse black pepper

1 tablespoon raw honey

IMG_15941. Turn you slow cooker on high so it can warm up.

2. Melt the oil in a large frying pan on the stove.

3. Once the oil is hot, brown the pork chops on each side for about 2 to 3 minutes.

4. Put your chops in the slow cooker.

5. Place the apple slices in the drying pan, along with the walnuts, onions, garlic, salt, and pepper and cook until onions and apples are soft.

6. Pour the apple mixture over the pork chops.

7. Sprinkle the cinnamon over the meat and drizzle with the honey.

8. Cover and lower the temperature to low.  Cook for 8 hours.

IMG_1595I’ve never had a slow cooked pork chop and I really like it.  I hope you do too.  Happy cooking!

~Laura

Weekly Slow Cooker Recipe – Chicken Cacciatore – Paleo!!

It’s time for my weekly edition of Laura’s slow cooker recipe.  This recipe is from Paleolithic Slow Cooker. I find the name of the cookbook entertaining since I’m pretty sure they did not have slow cookers in the Paleolithic era!  But for all you Paleo peeps out there, this is for you (and for regular people too) 🙂

IMG_1573

 

3 tablespoons coconut oil

2 pounds bone-in chicken breast

2 stalks of celery, sliced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 large onion, chopped

3 large bell peppers – any color, sliced

15 oz diced tomatoes (about 3.5 tomatoes)

1 tablespoon oregano

IMG_15761. Turn your slow cooker on high while you get your ingredients ready.

2. Place the coconut oil on the bottom and allow it to melt.

3. Place the remaining ingredients into the slow cooker and reduce the slow cooker to low.

4.  Cook for 7 to 8 hours.

5. Serve with spaghetti squash if desired. (I did not because the soupy style seemed more interesting to me plain).

IMG_1579

 

This recipe is super easy and very healthy since the meat has been cooked on the bone.  The minerals and nutrients from the bone end up in the broth and the slow cooking nature of it keeps them viable.  Beware, there is no salt in this so if you like your stuff salty, add a teaspoon before you start cooking.  This recipe is great for a work day, you throw everything in in the morning and come home from work and it’s ready!  Happy cooking!