My oldest always asks, "What's for dinner?" I don't think he does it in an attempt to say, "What are you feeding me?" I think he does it because he's genuinely curious. I don't frequently duplicate recipes, so he'll see the start of something and wonder what it could possibly end up being.
I had a bit of a dilemma for dinner. I was really craving some beef stroganoff, but it was chicken I had thawed and needed to be cooked. I looked at dozens of recipes for a paleo version of stroganoff and figured it would be simple enough to substitute chicken and chicken friendly spices. The problem was that I couldn't find a paleo stroganoff recipe that I was in love with. Many of them still called for heavy cream. I get that primal allows for full-fat dairy products, but I thought paleo avoided them. Whatevs. Either way that wasn't going to work for me.
Another challenge I was facing was that the majority of recipes I found relied heavily on garlic. Le Sigh. Once again, I was on my own.
Being allergic to tomatoes and garlic really sucks. I mean, really sucks. These are, well, um, were, two of my favorite things to cook with. I remember my allergy doc saying, "Well this is good news. At least you're only allergic to a few things and it's easy enough to eliminate them." Easy enough? Easy enough?? Obviously it's your wife/girlfriend/kids/dog who does the cooking.
I had a huge spaghetti squash sitting on my counter, and that was going to be just as good - if not better - than the zucchini noodles many other recipes were calling for. Did you know that stroganoff has been around for over a hundred years, originally developed in Russia? Or so I read, anyway. I also read that the original stroganoff recipes did not include a rice or pasta bed, it was hearty enough to be eaten as a stand-alone dish. So sure, you could substitute cauliflower rice or squash or something else for the bed (as I did), but I had never considered serving it on its own.
One of these days I really want to pick up a grass fed steak and make paleo beef stroganoff. This chicken stroganoff was just amazing. There was very little left for my lunch. That's fine by me, though, as long as I know my guys are getting enough healthy stuff in them. There was a little, so I took it to work with a spinach and salmon salad. Worked out just great.
Interestingly, any time I make a dish with spaghetti squash, I end up with lots of spaghetti squash left and very little of the topping. I find that very interesting.
Why does everyone hate my squash?
I came across an interesting recipe the other day for what essentially amounted to spaghetti squash fritters, and I think I might try that with the leftovers. I don't think anyone likes the squash but me, and that's fine. If the fritters turn out tasty, that's just more for me! :o)
I've just started cooking with ghee. On one hand, it's considerably more expensive than butter (for obvious reasons), so I don't really want to be baking with it or anything like that. On the other hand, it seems to tolerate higher heat better (and longer cooking times without burning), and the flavor is just absolutely to die for. So, while it's more costly than butter, I think it's going to be making regular appearances in my cooking in small amounts.
As a side note, check the can of coconut milk before you attempt to open it from the bottom. I was able to get one small hole poked in it before I realized my can opener was only going to open it from the top. If you do this, I highly recommend you do not turn it over and shake it. Such an action just might cover you and your kitchen with splashes of coconut milk. I'm still looking around to make sure I got all the splatters cleaned up. It was kind of like a coconut milk crime scene.
Ingredients:
1 large spaghetti squash
Drizzle olive oil
Sea salt & ground black pepper
3 T. ghee, divided
1 onion (any type), chopped
1 cup chopped mushrooms (about 10 large)
2 large chicken breasts
Sea salt & ground black pepper
1 can full fat coconut milk
1/4 tsp dried sage
1/4 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp organic chicken base (check the label to keep it paleo)
1/2 T. Dijon mustard (again, read your label to keep it paleo)
Sea salt & ground black pepper
1 T. nutritional yeast (optional)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Put in a 13x9 baking dish, cut side up, and drizzle with olive oil. Lightly sprinkle with salt & pepper. Add about a cup of water to the dish to preven burning. Bake for 40 minutes or until soft (mine was gigantic this time and took about 50 minutes, but 40 is the average for most of the squashes I buy).
While squash is baking, melt 1 T. ghee in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until starting to carmelize. Add mushrooms and sautee until they are soft. Transfer from skillet to a plate or bowl.
Put chicken breasts on a cutting board and cover with a piece of plastic wrap. Pound with a meat clever (a rolling pin or other solid object will work if you don't have a meat clever) until about 1/4 inch thick all the way around. Sprinkle each side lightly with salt & pepper.
Use the same pan you used for the onions and mushrooms and melt 2 T. ghee in the pan. Add chicken breasts so they are not overlapping, and cook 4-5 minutes on each side or until no longer pink in the middle. For you chefs with a well-stocked kitchen, that's at least 160 degrees on your meat thermometer. Transfer chicken to a clean cutting board.
Pour coconut milk directly into hot pan and whisk well. It will take a little patience for the residual ghee to blend into the coconut milk. Use a wooden spoon to scrape off any little chicken bits that stuck to the pan. Add sage, rosemary, chicken base, mustard, salt & pepper to the pan and whisk well. Let cook for about five minutes, whisking frequently, until sauce starts to thicken. Whisk in nutritional yeast, if using.
Chop chicken into bite sized pieces. Add chicken to coconut sauce, then stir in the mushrooms and onions. Heat through.
Use a fork to shred spaghetti squash (I use tongs to help transfer the squash shreds into a serving bowl). Serve chicken over spaghetti squash.
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
Paleo Breakfast Hash
I've mentioned before how I first started dabbling in paleo recipes because, by definition, they eliminated two of our no-no foods: wheat and dairy. I also liked them because there was a strong emphasis on vegetables - something I wanted to be cooking more of.
I think for a while I was doing paleo "wrong." You might wonder how you could do it "wrong" when there was such an emphasis on whole, healthy foods. But I was. I put too much emphasis on nuts, nut butters, coconut and proteins. For example, I would make a pot roast, make it with mashed potatoes (paleo friendly, of course) and serve. See what was missing? Or, I'd make Paleo Chick-Fil-A chicken strips and not pair it with lots of fresh veggies. I'd make paleo desserts and think they were healthy just because they included only paleo ingredients. Or, I'd make chicken alfredo from a cashew sauce, and vegetables would barely get an honorable mention as a bell pepper and maybe some shredded zucchini stirred into the sauce.
So, you can see how I was doing it wrong. Now, my focus is on vegetables and fruits first, followed by meats and healthy fats. Now, this is contrary to the primal philosophy, where healthy meats should take center stage. But for me, I have to put the veggies in the spotlight or they won't get the attention they deserve.
Breakfast seems to be a tricky one for a lot of people. Personally, I could eat eggs every morning and never get sick of them. I prepare them different ways - "over poached," scrambled or hard boiled - which helps prevent them from getting boring, and I change up the vegetables regularly so it's like I'm eating a different meal every time. BTW, "over poached" is my name for how I make eggs over easy. Any time I try to flip those little suckers I invariably break a yolk. So, I combine the "frying" and poaching method. Grease the pan and crack the eggs directly over the skillet. Season, then add a few tablespoons of hot water, cover with a tight fitting lit, and leave them alone until the egg whites cook over top of the yolk. I like a glass lid for this task because I can watch the eggs without removing the lid and letting the steam escape. See? Over poached.
Anyway, if you hate eggs or get sick of them, try switching out chicken, beef or pork from last night's dinner. Sometimes I'll deliberately make more meat than I plan to use for a dish, because then I have cooked meat on hand I can just toss into a recipe to simplify things. But eggs? They're my go-to in the morning. In addition to switching up the vegetables, you can also switch up the seasonings. Some mornings I'll use sea salt, black pepper and onion powder. Sometimes I'll use sage and rosemary. Other times I'll use corriander or chili powder or...anything, really.
This is what I had this morning, and one of my favorites. I like the over poached eggs in this recipe because 1) the runny yolk gives a kind of "sauce" that mixes well and 2) I'm not a huge fan of the taste of kale, and the runny yolk helps mitigate it. I eat kale for the health benefits, not because it's delicious. If you like kale and/or you don't like runny egg yolks, you can, of course, cook your eggs longer. Don't like eggs? Add some cooked meat to the skillet when the vegetables are almost cooked.
Ingredients:
1/2 T. coconut oil
1/2 sweet potato, peeled and diced small
1 large kale leaf, stem removed and finely chopped
1/2 summer squash, shredded with a cheese grater (use the whole squash if it's on the smaller side)
**I would usually throw some mushrooms into this as well, but I ran out. Sad face.**
Sea salt, ground black pepper and onion powder
2 large eggs
Directions:
Melt coconut oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add sweet potato and cook, stirring frequently, until soft. Add kale and cook about 30 seconds, then add squash. Add seasonings as desired, then cook and stir until squash and kale are cooked. Transfer vegetables to a serving dish (or in my case, a to-go container) and return hot pan to the burner.
Add a touch more coconut oil to the pan (if needed). Crack eggs directly into the hot pan. Season as desired. Pour a couple tablespoons hot water around the edges of the eggs and immediately cover with a tight fitting lid. Let cook, undisturbed, until the egg whites over top of the yolks are no longer runny. Use a spatula to transfer eggs from pan to directly on top of the vegetables and eat.
Note: this method of cooking eggs will obviously leave some liquid in the pan (a combination of the oil and water). Don't sweat it. Just use a slotted spatula and it will not effect the final outcome of your meal.
I think for a while I was doing paleo "wrong." You might wonder how you could do it "wrong" when there was such an emphasis on whole, healthy foods. But I was. I put too much emphasis on nuts, nut butters, coconut and proteins. For example, I would make a pot roast, make it with mashed potatoes (paleo friendly, of course) and serve. See what was missing? Or, I'd make Paleo Chick-Fil-A chicken strips and not pair it with lots of fresh veggies. I'd make paleo desserts and think they were healthy just because they included only paleo ingredients. Or, I'd make chicken alfredo from a cashew sauce, and vegetables would barely get an honorable mention as a bell pepper and maybe some shredded zucchini stirred into the sauce.
So, you can see how I was doing it wrong. Now, my focus is on vegetables and fruits first, followed by meats and healthy fats. Now, this is contrary to the primal philosophy, where healthy meats should take center stage. But for me, I have to put the veggies in the spotlight or they won't get the attention they deserve.
Breakfast seems to be a tricky one for a lot of people. Personally, I could eat eggs every morning and never get sick of them. I prepare them different ways - "over poached," scrambled or hard boiled - which helps prevent them from getting boring, and I change up the vegetables regularly so it's like I'm eating a different meal every time. BTW, "over poached" is my name for how I make eggs over easy. Any time I try to flip those little suckers I invariably break a yolk. So, I combine the "frying" and poaching method. Grease the pan and crack the eggs directly over the skillet. Season, then add a few tablespoons of hot water, cover with a tight fitting lit, and leave them alone until the egg whites cook over top of the yolk. I like a glass lid for this task because I can watch the eggs without removing the lid and letting the steam escape. See? Over poached.
Anyway, if you hate eggs or get sick of them, try switching out chicken, beef or pork from last night's dinner. Sometimes I'll deliberately make more meat than I plan to use for a dish, because then I have cooked meat on hand I can just toss into a recipe to simplify things. But eggs? They're my go-to in the morning. In addition to switching up the vegetables, you can also switch up the seasonings. Some mornings I'll use sea salt, black pepper and onion powder. Sometimes I'll use sage and rosemary. Other times I'll use corriander or chili powder or...anything, really.
This is what I had this morning, and one of my favorites. I like the over poached eggs in this recipe because 1) the runny yolk gives a kind of "sauce" that mixes well and 2) I'm not a huge fan of the taste of kale, and the runny yolk helps mitigate it. I eat kale for the health benefits, not because it's delicious. If you like kale and/or you don't like runny egg yolks, you can, of course, cook your eggs longer. Don't like eggs? Add some cooked meat to the skillet when the vegetables are almost cooked.
Ingredients:
1/2 T. coconut oil
1/2 sweet potato, peeled and diced small
1 large kale leaf, stem removed and finely chopped
1/2 summer squash, shredded with a cheese grater (use the whole squash if it's on the smaller side)
**I would usually throw some mushrooms into this as well, but I ran out. Sad face.**
Sea salt, ground black pepper and onion powder
2 large eggs
Directions:
Melt coconut oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add sweet potato and cook, stirring frequently, until soft. Add kale and cook about 30 seconds, then add squash. Add seasonings as desired, then cook and stir until squash and kale are cooked. Transfer vegetables to a serving dish (or in my case, a to-go container) and return hot pan to the burner.
Add a touch more coconut oil to the pan (if needed). Crack eggs directly into the hot pan. Season as desired. Pour a couple tablespoons hot water around the edges of the eggs and immediately cover with a tight fitting lid. Let cook, undisturbed, until the egg whites over top of the yolks are no longer runny. Use a spatula to transfer eggs from pan to directly on top of the vegetables and eat.
Note: this method of cooking eggs will obviously leave some liquid in the pan (a combination of the oil and water). Don't sweat it. Just use a slotted spatula and it will not effect the final outcome of your meal.
Paleo Turkey au Gratin
Every once in a while it's good to have an experience where you're reminded that going above and beyond the call of duty is unnecessary and mediocrity is the standard by which we should all live.
Okay, that's not true. I don't believe that at all. But when you put your heart and soul into something because you believe it's the right thing to do, it really sucks to have someone shat all over it.
End rant.
In my humble but correct opinion, cheesy potatoes of all varieties are the be all, end all of comfort food. Scalloped potatoes, funeral potatoes (do they make those outside of Utah?), au gratin potatoes, cheese smothered hash browns, you name it. Feeling a bit like Bubba from Forrest Gump at the moment. If there's cheese and potatoes involved, you really can't go wrong. As you can tell from my little rant, I was in need of some comfort food, but cheese is out on so many levels. I looked up several different recipes trying to find a "paleo" version and just couldn't find anything that was to my liking. I felt like I had the concept down, but based on all the comments about what did and didn't work, I prepared myself for a bit of a gamble.
Even after I had it all assembled, I put it in the oven without a great deal of confidence. I made a big salad to go with it just in case it wasn't edible. I felt defeated before I even tried it.
This just goes to show that looks can be deceiving. I was so happy with how this turned out and I wouldn't have changed a thing. It got the double seal of approval: my BF said it was yummy (not that he ever complains), and my youngest asked, "You gonna want any of this for work?" as he headed to the kitchen for more. Of course I wanted some for lunch the next day, but I wasn't going to deny him if he was still hungry. The fact that he went for more food instead of cereal or ice cream was great news in my book.
I ended up having too many potato slices so I've adjusted the recipe to account for that. If you do end up having extras, just stick them in the fridge and you can chop them up or use the slices for another recipe. It can never hurt to have chopped potatoes on hand. I used a combination of red potatoes I picked up at the farmer's market and sweet potatoes. I used a mixture as I thought all sweet potatoes would be a little overpowering, but the mix of the two turned out great. You could either do full layers of red and sweet as I did, or you could alternate them on the same layer, making a calico type effect.
There seems to be some debate about whether nutritional yeast is considered paleo. It seems like the paleo purists abhor it because it wasn't around during the paleolithic era, while others accept it as paleo because it is a complete protein, provides vitamins and other nutrients, and is good for the gut. So, you'll have to decide for yourself, but I highly recommend using it in this recipe as it adds a depth to the sauce you wouldn't otherwise get.
Ingredients:
1 medium sweet potato
2 large red potatoes
Drizzle olive oil
1 onion (any variety), coarsely chopped
1 lb ground meat of choice (I used turkey in this case, but grass fed beef would have been amazeballs, too)
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp dried sage
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
Sea salt & ground black pepper to taste
For the sauce:
2 T. ghee (or butter)
1 T. coconut flour
1 can (14 oz) full-fat coconut milk
1/4 tsp dried sage
1/4 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp organic chicken base
Sea salt & ground black pepper to taste
1 T. nutritional yeast
Directions:
Scrub potatoes well but leave the skins on. Use a mandolin to slice potatoes into 1/8 inch slices and set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drizzle a little olive oil into a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and saute until very soft and starting to carmelize. Add ground meat and stir until broken up. Add fennel seeds, sage, rosemary, salt and pepper and stir well. Cook until meat is completely cooked through. Turn heat to the lowest setting to keep the meat warm and stir occasionally while preparing the sauce.
Melt ghee in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in coconut flour until just starting to brown (this will only take a couple of minutes). Whisk in coconut milk until smooth, then whisk in the remaining ingredients except nutritional yeast. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook a few minutes, whisking frequently, until sauce begins to thicken. Whisk in nutritional yeast and set aside.
Grease a 13x9 baking dish. Arrange potato slices in a layer (slightly overlapping is fine). Spread half of the meat mixture over the potatoes, followed by another layer of potatoes, the remaining meat, and a third layer of potatoes. Pour sauce over top, taking care to hit all the little nooks and crannies.
Bake for 30 minutes or until potatoes are soft (I suck a toothpick in the center to test). Let stand about 5 minutes. Cut into pieces and serve.
Okay, that's not true. I don't believe that at all. But when you put your heart and soul into something because you believe it's the right thing to do, it really sucks to have someone shat all over it.
End rant.
In my humble but correct opinion, cheesy potatoes of all varieties are the be all, end all of comfort food. Scalloped potatoes, funeral potatoes (do they make those outside of Utah?), au gratin potatoes, cheese smothered hash browns, you name it. Feeling a bit like Bubba from Forrest Gump at the moment. If there's cheese and potatoes involved, you really can't go wrong. As you can tell from my little rant, I was in need of some comfort food, but cheese is out on so many levels. I looked up several different recipes trying to find a "paleo" version and just couldn't find anything that was to my liking. I felt like I had the concept down, but based on all the comments about what did and didn't work, I prepared myself for a bit of a gamble.
Even after I had it all assembled, I put it in the oven without a great deal of confidence. I made a big salad to go with it just in case it wasn't edible. I felt defeated before I even tried it.
This just goes to show that looks can be deceiving. I was so happy with how this turned out and I wouldn't have changed a thing. It got the double seal of approval: my BF said it was yummy (not that he ever complains), and my youngest asked, "You gonna want any of this for work?" as he headed to the kitchen for more. Of course I wanted some for lunch the next day, but I wasn't going to deny him if he was still hungry. The fact that he went for more food instead of cereal or ice cream was great news in my book.
I ended up having too many potato slices so I've adjusted the recipe to account for that. If you do end up having extras, just stick them in the fridge and you can chop them up or use the slices for another recipe. It can never hurt to have chopped potatoes on hand. I used a combination of red potatoes I picked up at the farmer's market and sweet potatoes. I used a mixture as I thought all sweet potatoes would be a little overpowering, but the mix of the two turned out great. You could either do full layers of red and sweet as I did, or you could alternate them on the same layer, making a calico type effect.
There seems to be some debate about whether nutritional yeast is considered paleo. It seems like the paleo purists abhor it because it wasn't around during the paleolithic era, while others accept it as paleo because it is a complete protein, provides vitamins and other nutrients, and is good for the gut. So, you'll have to decide for yourself, but I highly recommend using it in this recipe as it adds a depth to the sauce you wouldn't otherwise get.
Ingredients:
1 medium sweet potato
2 large red potatoes
Drizzle olive oil
1 onion (any variety), coarsely chopped
1 lb ground meat of choice (I used turkey in this case, but grass fed beef would have been amazeballs, too)
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp dried sage
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
Sea salt & ground black pepper to taste
For the sauce:
2 T. ghee (or butter)
1 T. coconut flour
1 can (14 oz) full-fat coconut milk
1/4 tsp dried sage
1/4 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp organic chicken base
Sea salt & ground black pepper to taste
1 T. nutritional yeast
Directions:
Scrub potatoes well but leave the skins on. Use a mandolin to slice potatoes into 1/8 inch slices and set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drizzle a little olive oil into a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and saute until very soft and starting to carmelize. Add ground meat and stir until broken up. Add fennel seeds, sage, rosemary, salt and pepper and stir well. Cook until meat is completely cooked through. Turn heat to the lowest setting to keep the meat warm and stir occasionally while preparing the sauce.
Melt ghee in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in coconut flour until just starting to brown (this will only take a couple of minutes). Whisk in coconut milk until smooth, then whisk in the remaining ingredients except nutritional yeast. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook a few minutes, whisking frequently, until sauce begins to thicken. Whisk in nutritional yeast and set aside.
Grease a 13x9 baking dish. Arrange potato slices in a layer (slightly overlapping is fine). Spread half of the meat mixture over the potatoes, followed by another layer of potatoes, the remaining meat, and a third layer of potatoes. Pour sauce over top, taking care to hit all the little nooks and crannies.
Bake for 30 minutes or until potatoes are soft (I suck a toothpick in the center to test). Let stand about 5 minutes. Cut into pieces and serve.
Monday, August 25, 2014
The Evil Cookie Dilemma
Dude, let me tell you, it is so hard to eat out and eat paleo. You pretty much have to settle for "good enough." My team was going for a work lunch. Originally they were talking Mexican, so I simply declined to go. Even if it weren't for the paleo aspect, I can't eat tomatoes, garlic or cheese, which pretty much rules out everything Mexican or Italian (unless, of course, I make it myself). They were nice to me, though, and ended up choosing Red Robin. I figured I couldn't go too far astray - just get a chicken patty with some avocado and maybe some steamed veggies.
We get there, though, and I realize I have absolutely zero will-power. There is something about seeing the words Sweet and Potato and Fries together that just makes me lose control. That was mistake number one. I was good, though, in that I didn't take any of the bottomless steak fries the waitress kept plopping down in front of me while we were waiting for our food. I ordered the chicken sandwich on lettuce instead of a bun, sans tomato of course, and added avocado. Did pretty good.
Until the fry sauce came, then it was over.
BTW, PSA going out to Red Robin: a quarter head of iceburg lettuce does not exactly consistute a "lettuce wrap." First, iceburg lettuce is just wrong. If we're going sans bun, give us some bibb or Boston or romaine or pretty much anything but iceburg. Please. Second, it took me a while to find that tiny little processed chicken breast in the middle of all that lettuce. I used, what, maybe 1/3 of the lettuce you gave me? Just think about it.
Interestingly, as soon as we got back to the office I had the most intense cravings for cookies. Chunky, chocolately, chipp-y cookies. And, of course, there was a package of chocolate chip cookies on the breakroom table. I walked past them once and almost caved. Got back to my office, realized my water bottle was empty, and had to go back to the break room to fill it up! What a cruel world. I took the long way to the water cooler, trying to avoid looking at the cookies. It didn't help. It was almost like their sugary energy was pulsing in every direction.
I tried to ignore them. I really did. I thought about what things I had at my disposal to eat instead of the cookies. I had chicken, stir-fried broccoli and squash with a sweet potato sauce for lunch (I wasn't hungry, just dealing with a craving, so that wouldn't do). I had a couple of donut peaches and an apple in my office. Hmm, those might work. But again, not hungry, just wanted the sweet goodness. Thought about the tea in my drawer. Sometimes tea helps with sweet cravings. All these thoughts are flowing through my mind as I'm filling my water bottle. Meanwhile, even though I'm not looking, I'm positive the cookies have escaped their package and are kicking me in the back of the head.
Fortunately I was able to shift my thinking. My first thought was from my Doritos bender the other night and how lousy I felt after and the next day. Hmm. Didn't want that again. My second thought was how not-as-good these "favorite" foods have tasted the last few times I've cheated. It's true, your taste buds do change. Was it worth the calories? I don't count calories on paleo, but I knew that cookie was in excess of 250 calories and loads of unhealthy fat. Did I really want to un-do the positive changes I was making? Not that one food can undo all the work you've done, but why eat the cookie?
I resisted. I would not let those cookies get the better of me. I took a big gulp of water, headed out of the breakroom, but stopped dead in my tracks in the hallway.
WATERMELON! I completely forgot about the container of watermelon I'd brought with me this morning. My lunch was a little on the lower-carb side today and thought I might need some fruit to balance it out (if I didn't need it I could just take it home). At this point, watermelon sounded like candy. I ran back into the breakroom armed with a new found confidence that I was going to kick that cookie's ass if it so much as looked at me wrong.
The moral of the story: don't give in to your cravings. If you make a decision to eat healthy, eat clean or have other goals, no matter how "hard" it gets, stick to them. I kicked my craving for that cookie in under five minutes. At the time, it was all I could think about. But I didn't give in. I feel good. I don't have the cookie hangover (or Doritos hangover or donut hangover or any other type of unhealthy food hangover), and I don't feel guilty for letting my stupid cravings get the better of me.
As a side note, I expect part of the reason the craving came in the first place is I didn't have a clean lunch. Had I eaten the wonderful paleo lunch I brought with me to work, I would have been satisfied. But since I didn't, it left me vulnerable to the Evil Cookie.
I win this time, and now I'm stronger, Evil Cookie. Go crumble in a corner.
We get there, though, and I realize I have absolutely zero will-power. There is something about seeing the words Sweet and Potato and Fries together that just makes me lose control. That was mistake number one. I was good, though, in that I didn't take any of the bottomless steak fries the waitress kept plopping down in front of me while we were waiting for our food. I ordered the chicken sandwich on lettuce instead of a bun, sans tomato of course, and added avocado. Did pretty good.
Until the fry sauce came, then it was over.
BTW, PSA going out to Red Robin: a quarter head of iceburg lettuce does not exactly consistute a "lettuce wrap." First, iceburg lettuce is just wrong. If we're going sans bun, give us some bibb or Boston or romaine or pretty much anything but iceburg. Please. Second, it took me a while to find that tiny little processed chicken breast in the middle of all that lettuce. I used, what, maybe 1/3 of the lettuce you gave me? Just think about it.
Interestingly, as soon as we got back to the office I had the most intense cravings for cookies. Chunky, chocolately, chipp-y cookies. And, of course, there was a package of chocolate chip cookies on the breakroom table. I walked past them once and almost caved. Got back to my office, realized my water bottle was empty, and had to go back to the break room to fill it up! What a cruel world. I took the long way to the water cooler, trying to avoid looking at the cookies. It didn't help. It was almost like their sugary energy was pulsing in every direction.
I tried to ignore them. I really did. I thought about what things I had at my disposal to eat instead of the cookies. I had chicken, stir-fried broccoli and squash with a sweet potato sauce for lunch (I wasn't hungry, just dealing with a craving, so that wouldn't do). I had a couple of donut peaches and an apple in my office. Hmm, those might work. But again, not hungry, just wanted the sweet goodness. Thought about the tea in my drawer. Sometimes tea helps with sweet cravings. All these thoughts are flowing through my mind as I'm filling my water bottle. Meanwhile, even though I'm not looking, I'm positive the cookies have escaped their package and are kicking me in the back of the head.
Fortunately I was able to shift my thinking. My first thought was from my Doritos bender the other night and how lousy I felt after and the next day. Hmm. Didn't want that again. My second thought was how not-as-good these "favorite" foods have tasted the last few times I've cheated. It's true, your taste buds do change. Was it worth the calories? I don't count calories on paleo, but I knew that cookie was in excess of 250 calories and loads of unhealthy fat. Did I really want to un-do the positive changes I was making? Not that one food can undo all the work you've done, but why eat the cookie?
I resisted. I would not let those cookies get the better of me. I took a big gulp of water, headed out of the breakroom, but stopped dead in my tracks in the hallway.
WATERMELON! I completely forgot about the container of watermelon I'd brought with me this morning. My lunch was a little on the lower-carb side today and thought I might need some fruit to balance it out (if I didn't need it I could just take it home). At this point, watermelon sounded like candy. I ran back into the breakroom armed with a new found confidence that I was going to kick that cookie's ass if it so much as looked at me wrong.
The moral of the story: don't give in to your cravings. If you make a decision to eat healthy, eat clean or have other goals, no matter how "hard" it gets, stick to them. I kicked my craving for that cookie in under five minutes. At the time, it was all I could think about. But I didn't give in. I feel good. I don't have the cookie hangover (or Doritos hangover or donut hangover or any other type of unhealthy food hangover), and I don't feel guilty for letting my stupid cravings get the better of me.
As a side note, I expect part of the reason the craving came in the first place is I didn't have a clean lunch. Had I eaten the wonderful paleo lunch I brought with me to work, I would have been satisfied. But since I didn't, it left me vulnerable to the Evil Cookie.
I win this time, and now I'm stronger, Evil Cookie. Go crumble in a corner.
Paleo Beef Eggplant Bake
I suppose I could have called this a casserole, but there's just something about the term "casserole" that automatically turns people off. I think we're conditioned to think of the canned tuna, mushy noodles and peas we all ate as kids. A casserole is really just layering a bunch of ingredients in a big casserole dish and baking it. But still, the word...
The farmer's market is still in full swing. Sadly I didn't get there until around 11:00 so a lot of the stuff was gone, and I wasn't able to get any berries (which is what I really wanted). I still came away with a couple of bags of those yummy donut peaches, an eggplant and some new squash I'd never seen before. It resembled an acorn squash, except that the skin was white with green stripes on it. I couldn't remember what the farmer called it, but I did a Google search and figured out it was a sweet dumpling squash. It was softer and sweeter, similar to a delicata squash, but shaped exactly like an acorn squash. I baked it up and put some of it on my salmon salad for lunch, but saved the rest and put it in the sauce for this dish. Slightly sweet, and so tasty. I could easily just eat it plain with some balsamic drizzled on it.
BTW, when I was shopping this weekend I came across some canned, wild caught salmon that had only two ingredients: salmon and salt. The whole can was $3, so I decided to try it. BAD IDEA. I was expecting something similar to canned solid tuna. What I got was pieces of fish smooshed together that still had the skin and bones. I don't mean the occasional bone, I mean a full skeleton. Trying to remove bones from a fish filet that has been cooked and processed, then smushed together in a can is NOT an easy feat. Once I got it all de-skinned and de-boned as best I could it was pretty tasty, but frankly I'd rather just cook the damned fish. Oh well, live and learn. It's still not bad for an emergency meal you need to put together quickly.
My BF said this dish "looked kinda weird, but it was tasty." I don't think the boys liked it because 1) there were leftovers and 2) I caught my oldest eating cereal shortly after I went upstairs to get ready for bed. Caught like a kid with his hand in the cookie jar. I liked it, though, and my BF liked it so I guess that's still a win. I used my mandolin to cut the eggplant into strips about the size of french fries. If you don't have a mandolin, you can still cut it into strips with a knife. I don't think it would take much longer, either, just try to get them as uniform as you can so they cook evenly.
Ingrediets:
1 medium eggplant (I chose one that was longer and thinner), cut into strips
Drizzle olive oil
Sea salt & ground black pepper
1 sweet onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 lb grass fed beef
2 T. chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp paprika
Sea salt & ground black pepper
For the sauce:
1 cup raw, unsalted cashews
1 sweet dumpling squash (or delicata would work, too), seeded and baked until soft
1 T. honey
1 T. apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp onion powder
Sea salt and ground black pepper
Approximately one cup packaged coconut milk (not the canned stuff), more or less as needed for consistency
Directions:
Preheat broiler. Arrange eggplant strips in a 13x9 baking dish. Drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle salt and pepper. Toss with tongs. Put under the broiler, tossing with tongs every 3-4 minutes, until eggplant is soft. Watch it closely so it doesn't burn. When done, set oven to 350 degrees.
Drizzle a little more olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until caramelized. Add beef and cook, continuing to stir frequently until almost cooked through. Add chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt & pepper. Adjust seasonings if necessary.
Add meat mixture to baking dish, spreading evenly over eggplant slices.
For the sauce, put cashews in a blender and process on low until mostly broken up. Add squash, honey, vinegar and spices. Add a little of the coconut milk and begin processing on high speed, adding additional coconut milk until it reaches a pourable consistency. Drizzle sauce over the meat (you may end up with leftover sauce - save for another recipe).
Bake for 15 minutes or until heated through. Let stand a few minutes before serving.
The farmer's market is still in full swing. Sadly I didn't get there until around 11:00 so a lot of the stuff was gone, and I wasn't able to get any berries (which is what I really wanted). I still came away with a couple of bags of those yummy donut peaches, an eggplant and some new squash I'd never seen before. It resembled an acorn squash, except that the skin was white with green stripes on it. I couldn't remember what the farmer called it, but I did a Google search and figured out it was a sweet dumpling squash. It was softer and sweeter, similar to a delicata squash, but shaped exactly like an acorn squash. I baked it up and put some of it on my salmon salad for lunch, but saved the rest and put it in the sauce for this dish. Slightly sweet, and so tasty. I could easily just eat it plain with some balsamic drizzled on it.
BTW, when I was shopping this weekend I came across some canned, wild caught salmon that had only two ingredients: salmon and salt. The whole can was $3, so I decided to try it. BAD IDEA. I was expecting something similar to canned solid tuna. What I got was pieces of fish smooshed together that still had the skin and bones. I don't mean the occasional bone, I mean a full skeleton. Trying to remove bones from a fish filet that has been cooked and processed, then smushed together in a can is NOT an easy feat. Once I got it all de-skinned and de-boned as best I could it was pretty tasty, but frankly I'd rather just cook the damned fish. Oh well, live and learn. It's still not bad for an emergency meal you need to put together quickly.
My BF said this dish "looked kinda weird, but it was tasty." I don't think the boys liked it because 1) there were leftovers and 2) I caught my oldest eating cereal shortly after I went upstairs to get ready for bed. Caught like a kid with his hand in the cookie jar. I liked it, though, and my BF liked it so I guess that's still a win. I used my mandolin to cut the eggplant into strips about the size of french fries. If you don't have a mandolin, you can still cut it into strips with a knife. I don't think it would take much longer, either, just try to get them as uniform as you can so they cook evenly.
Ingrediets:
1 medium eggplant (I chose one that was longer and thinner), cut into strips
Drizzle olive oil
Sea salt & ground black pepper
1 sweet onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 lb grass fed beef
2 T. chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp paprika
Sea salt & ground black pepper
For the sauce:
1 cup raw, unsalted cashews
1 sweet dumpling squash (or delicata would work, too), seeded and baked until soft
1 T. honey
1 T. apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp onion powder
Sea salt and ground black pepper
Approximately one cup packaged coconut milk (not the canned stuff), more or less as needed for consistency
Directions:
Preheat broiler. Arrange eggplant strips in a 13x9 baking dish. Drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle salt and pepper. Toss with tongs. Put under the broiler, tossing with tongs every 3-4 minutes, until eggplant is soft. Watch it closely so it doesn't burn. When done, set oven to 350 degrees.
Drizzle a little more olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until caramelized. Add beef and cook, continuing to stir frequently until almost cooked through. Add chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt & pepper. Adjust seasonings if necessary.
Add meat mixture to baking dish, spreading evenly over eggplant slices.
For the sauce, put cashews in a blender and process on low until mostly broken up. Add squash, honey, vinegar and spices. Add a little of the coconut milk and begin processing on high speed, adding additional coconut milk until it reaches a pourable consistency. Drizzle sauce over the meat (you may end up with leftover sauce - save for another recipe).
Bake for 15 minutes or until heated through. Let stand a few minutes before serving.
Thursday, August 21, 2014
Paleo Stuffed Peppers
I'm certainly not one who needs to be lectured on the benefits of eating organic fruits and vegetables, nor do I need to be told that eating grass-fed beef and truly free range chicken is better for you by leaps and bounds. And, after eating paleo for a while now, you don't need to convince me that grains are an unnecessary part of the Standard American Diet.
The part you won't convince me of, though, is that buying organic, grass-fed, free range, grain free foods is affordable for everyone. Sure, in a perfect world, we'd all have access to the perfect foods that were raised perfectly and prepared perfectly. Unfortunately that isn't reality. Sure, in the long run you'll save money on doctor's bills, and if you already eat an abundance of fast food you can use that money for healthy food instead. On the other hand, the argument that grass-fed beef at $6 per pound is healthier than commercially produced ground beef at $2.99 per pound probably isn't going to be at the front of your mind when you're trying to figure out how to pay rent this month.
If you can afford it, though, there is nothing like grass fed beef. The texture is better, the flavor is better, and you're not ingesting ammonia or other harmful things that happens to the meat when it's processed in a factory. I found a little market yesterday that sells meat from a farmer in Central Utah. I've bought from them before, and I remember it being more expensive. Maybe I'm just more financially comfortable right now. I picked up a few packages and used it to make these paleo stuffed peppers. Of course, I also used peppers and squash from the farmer's market, and tossed in some mushrooms. There wasn't quite enough stuffing for each pepper, so I whipped up a cashew sauce to put on top. They were a hit.
On a different note, I was all excited about these purple beans I got at the farmer's market this weekend. I tossed them in some olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sea salt and black pepper, then roasted them in the oven. More than half were completely inedible. One, they weren't purple anymore when they came out of the oven, which was a disappointment. Two, they were so tough you couldn't even get a fork through them, let alone chew them. What a let down. Fortunately the peppers turned out good, and I made a raspberry cobbler (of course with fresh raspberries from the farmer's market) for dessert, so we did have enough to eat, even with the inedible beans.
But they were purple! That's so cool!
Oh well. Let's make the peppers.
Ingredients:
4 bell peppers, assorted colors
1 sweet onion, diced
1 T. coconut oil
1 lb grass-fed ground beef
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
1 cup shredded summer squash (I used the large holes in a cheese grater)
2-3 T. chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp coriander
1 tsp paprika
Sea salt & ground black pepper to taste
For the sauce:
1 cup raw, unsalted cashews
1 T. lemon juice
1 T. honey
1/4 tsp sea salt
Water
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Remove the stems and seeds from peppers. Bring a large stock pot full of water to a boil. Submerge peppers in water, working in batches if necessary, for 45 seconds. Remove and drain upside down.
Melt coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and saute until soft. Add beef, stirring until almost cooked through. Drain some of the fat if excessive. Add mushrooms and squash, stir to incorporate, and then add remaining ingredients. Stir well and let simmer for a few minutes, adjusting seasonings to your taste if necessary. Remove from heat and set aside.
Cut peppers in half lengthwise and arrange cut side up on prepared baking sheet. Fill peppers with meat mixture, distributing evenly between the peppers. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until heated through.
While peppers are in the oven, prepare your cashew sauce. Pulse cashews in a blender until they are mostly broken up. Add lemon juice, honey and sea salt. Add about 1/3 cup water and process until smooth. Add additional water as needed until desired consistency is reached.
When peppers are heated through, remove from oven and spoon cashew sauce over each, smoothing out with a spoon if necessary. Return to the oven for about 5 minutes or until cashew sauce is warm. Let stand a few minutes before serving.
The part you won't convince me of, though, is that buying organic, grass-fed, free range, grain free foods is affordable for everyone. Sure, in a perfect world, we'd all have access to the perfect foods that were raised perfectly and prepared perfectly. Unfortunately that isn't reality. Sure, in the long run you'll save money on doctor's bills, and if you already eat an abundance of fast food you can use that money for healthy food instead. On the other hand, the argument that grass-fed beef at $6 per pound is healthier than commercially produced ground beef at $2.99 per pound probably isn't going to be at the front of your mind when you're trying to figure out how to pay rent this month.
If you can afford it, though, there is nothing like grass fed beef. The texture is better, the flavor is better, and you're not ingesting ammonia or other harmful things that happens to the meat when it's processed in a factory. I found a little market yesterday that sells meat from a farmer in Central Utah. I've bought from them before, and I remember it being more expensive. Maybe I'm just more financially comfortable right now. I picked up a few packages and used it to make these paleo stuffed peppers. Of course, I also used peppers and squash from the farmer's market, and tossed in some mushrooms. There wasn't quite enough stuffing for each pepper, so I whipped up a cashew sauce to put on top. They were a hit.
On a different note, I was all excited about these purple beans I got at the farmer's market this weekend. I tossed them in some olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sea salt and black pepper, then roasted them in the oven. More than half were completely inedible. One, they weren't purple anymore when they came out of the oven, which was a disappointment. Two, they were so tough you couldn't even get a fork through them, let alone chew them. What a let down. Fortunately the peppers turned out good, and I made a raspberry cobbler (of course with fresh raspberries from the farmer's market) for dessert, so we did have enough to eat, even with the inedible beans.
But they were purple! That's so cool!
Oh well. Let's make the peppers.
Ingredients:
4 bell peppers, assorted colors
1 sweet onion, diced
1 T. coconut oil
1 lb grass-fed ground beef
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
1 cup shredded summer squash (I used the large holes in a cheese grater)
2-3 T. chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp coriander
1 tsp paprika
Sea salt & ground black pepper to taste
For the sauce:
1 cup raw, unsalted cashews
1 T. lemon juice
1 T. honey
1/4 tsp sea salt
Water
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Remove the stems and seeds from peppers. Bring a large stock pot full of water to a boil. Submerge peppers in water, working in batches if necessary, for 45 seconds. Remove and drain upside down.
Melt coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and saute until soft. Add beef, stirring until almost cooked through. Drain some of the fat if excessive. Add mushrooms and squash, stir to incorporate, and then add remaining ingredients. Stir well and let simmer for a few minutes, adjusting seasonings to your taste if necessary. Remove from heat and set aside.
Cut peppers in half lengthwise and arrange cut side up on prepared baking sheet. Fill peppers with meat mixture, distributing evenly between the peppers. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until heated through.
While peppers are in the oven, prepare your cashew sauce. Pulse cashews in a blender until they are mostly broken up. Add lemon juice, honey and sea salt. Add about 1/3 cup water and process until smooth. Add additional water as needed until desired consistency is reached.
When peppers are heated through, remove from oven and spoon cashew sauce over each, smoothing out with a spoon if necessary. Return to the oven for about 5 minutes or until cashew sauce is warm. Let stand a few minutes before serving.
Open-Faced Turkey Sliders
I'm still on my Farmer's Market high. So many delicious fruits and vegetables, I just can't cook them fast enough! Of course yesterday I was doing some digging around, looking for ideas for paleo recipes, and came across a brilliant idea: sliced sweet potatoes as "hamburger buns." How cool! The sweet potatoes I had at home weren't big enough for "buns," but they were perfect for sliders.
All the recipes I came across used a top and bottom "bun," but that seemed like a lot of sweet potato to me. Despite all the different ingredients I had to bake on separate baking sheets, these came together fairly quick and easily. My guys loved them. I went back for seconds and they were GONE! That's always a good sign.
Perspective is such an interesting thing. For example, my BF loves rain. Absolutely loves it. As I walk out the door to work I realize it's pouring. Of course it was raining - my hair turned out pretty cute this morning. I grumble as I pull out my umbrella. While I'm driving, I get a text from my BF saying he's sure I'm driving to work in this beautiful, warm rain. I can just picture him outside, taking a break from work, holding his arms out and enjoying himself.
I've been immersed in Paleo Land for a while now. I read not only recipes, but also articles. One of the key principals of becoming more primal is to slow down and enjoy life as it comes, and also take time to play and appreciate the things life offers. I thought about this in terms of the rain. In our modern, fast paced society, many of us often see rain as an inconvenience. "Of course it's raining, I just washed my car!" or me this morning, "Of course it's raining, my hair turned out cute!" I started thinking about how our paleo ancestors would have regarded rain. For one thing, it would have provided a source of water (though there is some debate about how much water they actually drank vs getting water from fruits and vegetables). Two, it would have cooled things off on a hot day. Three, it would have watered the plants they foraged for food. Four, I can imagine little cave children running around, playing in the rain and splashing in puddles. Yes, I think our paleo ancestors would have welcomed the rain.
Looking at it from that perspective... the rain is going to wash all the gunk out of the air so I can breathe. The rain is cooling down the air (it was a bit of a scorcher yesterday). The rain is nourishing all those local crops I plan to buy this weekend. The rain is quite pretty looking out my office window. The rain is making my BF happy, which in turn makes me happy. I got a nice walk in this morning before it rained, and I have an umbrella to keep my hair from being messed up. To quote the country song, "Rain is a good thing!" I'm really making efforts to slow my life down. I read more. I take walks. I try really hard not to sweat the small stuff - real or imagined. :)
Speaking of small stuff, let's make some sliders!
Ingredients:
3 good sized sweet potatoes - look for ones that have a nice, wide circumference
2 large beets
Drizzle olive oil, sea salt & ground black pepper.
2 lbs ground turkey (or other ground meat of choice)
1 egg
1/2 T. coconut flour
1/4 tsp sea salt
Ground black pepper
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp dried rosemary
Toppings:
1 whole avocado, thinly sliced
Lettuce or spinach
Drizzle balsamic vinegar
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Scrub sweet potatoes well. Slice into approximately 1/2 inch rounds (my mandolin only goes to 3/8"). Arrange in a single layer on one of the baking sheets. Use a pastry brush and lightly coat the potato slices with olive oil, then lightly sprinkle sea salt & black pepper.
For the beets, I use gloves to avoid staining my hands. Peel beets, then use a mandolin to slice into 1/4" slices. Arrange in a single layer on the second baking sheet, brush with olive oil, then lightly sprinkle with sea seal & black pepper.
Put both sheets in the oven at once. Bake 15 minutes. Remove, flip, coat with olive oil and sprinkle salt & pepper. Return to the oven for 15 more minutes, or until vegetables are fork tender. When cooked, remove from oven and set aside.
While vegetables are baking, prepare burgers. Combine meat, egg, coconut flour, salt, pepper, onion powder and rosemary in a mixing bowl. Use your hands to mix until well combined. Shape into patties using 2 T. meat mixture at a time, and press flat. My sweet potato slices were oval shaped, so I made my patties oval shaped. Arrange on yet another baking sheet covered with parchment paper.
When vegetables are finished cooking, reduce oven heat to 375. Bake burgers for 7 minutes, turn over, and cook an additional 7 minutes or until cooked through.
To assemble sliders, arrange sweet potato slices in a single layer. Top with a slice of beet (I cut the bigger beet slices in half). Top with spinach or lettuce, then burger, and finally avocado. Secure in place with a toothpick (if needed). Drizzle a few drops of balsamic vinegar over each slider and serve.
All the recipes I came across used a top and bottom "bun," but that seemed like a lot of sweet potato to me. Despite all the different ingredients I had to bake on separate baking sheets, these came together fairly quick and easily. My guys loved them. I went back for seconds and they were GONE! That's always a good sign.
Perspective is such an interesting thing. For example, my BF loves rain. Absolutely loves it. As I walk out the door to work I realize it's pouring. Of course it was raining - my hair turned out pretty cute this morning. I grumble as I pull out my umbrella. While I'm driving, I get a text from my BF saying he's sure I'm driving to work in this beautiful, warm rain. I can just picture him outside, taking a break from work, holding his arms out and enjoying himself.
I've been immersed in Paleo Land for a while now. I read not only recipes, but also articles. One of the key principals of becoming more primal is to slow down and enjoy life as it comes, and also take time to play and appreciate the things life offers. I thought about this in terms of the rain. In our modern, fast paced society, many of us often see rain as an inconvenience. "Of course it's raining, I just washed my car!" or me this morning, "Of course it's raining, my hair turned out cute!" I started thinking about how our paleo ancestors would have regarded rain. For one thing, it would have provided a source of water (though there is some debate about how much water they actually drank vs getting water from fruits and vegetables). Two, it would have cooled things off on a hot day. Three, it would have watered the plants they foraged for food. Four, I can imagine little cave children running around, playing in the rain and splashing in puddles. Yes, I think our paleo ancestors would have welcomed the rain.
Looking at it from that perspective... the rain is going to wash all the gunk out of the air so I can breathe. The rain is cooling down the air (it was a bit of a scorcher yesterday). The rain is nourishing all those local crops I plan to buy this weekend. The rain is quite pretty looking out my office window. The rain is making my BF happy, which in turn makes me happy. I got a nice walk in this morning before it rained, and I have an umbrella to keep my hair from being messed up. To quote the country song, "Rain is a good thing!" I'm really making efforts to slow my life down. I read more. I take walks. I try really hard not to sweat the small stuff - real or imagined. :)
Speaking of small stuff, let's make some sliders!
Ingredients:
3 good sized sweet potatoes - look for ones that have a nice, wide circumference
2 large beets
Drizzle olive oil, sea salt & ground black pepper.
2 lbs ground turkey (or other ground meat of choice)
1 egg
1/2 T. coconut flour
1/4 tsp sea salt
Ground black pepper
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp dried rosemary
Toppings:
1 whole avocado, thinly sliced
Lettuce or spinach
Drizzle balsamic vinegar
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Scrub sweet potatoes well. Slice into approximately 1/2 inch rounds (my mandolin only goes to 3/8"). Arrange in a single layer on one of the baking sheets. Use a pastry brush and lightly coat the potato slices with olive oil, then lightly sprinkle sea salt & black pepper.
For the beets, I use gloves to avoid staining my hands. Peel beets, then use a mandolin to slice into 1/4" slices. Arrange in a single layer on the second baking sheet, brush with olive oil, then lightly sprinkle with sea seal & black pepper.
Put both sheets in the oven at once. Bake 15 minutes. Remove, flip, coat with olive oil and sprinkle salt & pepper. Return to the oven for 15 more minutes, or until vegetables are fork tender. When cooked, remove from oven and set aside.
While vegetables are baking, prepare burgers. Combine meat, egg, coconut flour, salt, pepper, onion powder and rosemary in a mixing bowl. Use your hands to mix until well combined. Shape into patties using 2 T. meat mixture at a time, and press flat. My sweet potato slices were oval shaped, so I made my patties oval shaped. Arrange on yet another baking sheet covered with parchment paper.
When vegetables are finished cooking, reduce oven heat to 375. Bake burgers for 7 minutes, turn over, and cook an additional 7 minutes or until cooked through.
To assemble sliders, arrange sweet potato slices in a single layer. Top with a slice of beet (I cut the bigger beet slices in half). Top with spinach or lettuce, then burger, and finally avocado. Secure in place with a toothpick (if needed). Drizzle a few drops of balsamic vinegar over each slider and serve.
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