Stuffed Zucchini

This is a really good recipe for using up the leftovers in your fridge.  You can use an organic sugar-free jar of spaghetti sauce to speed up the process.  Serve with a side salad or spaghetti squash.

4 zucchini

Sea salt and pepper

½ pound of ground beef or turkey

½ onion, chopped into small dice

4 oz. mushrooms, chopped into small dice

1 jar of organic spaghetti sauce (or make your own)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking pan with tin foil.

Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise. Cut out some of the fleshy part with a knife, making a bowl to add the filling.  Chop up the pieces that you removed into quarter -inch dice.

Brush the zucchini halves with olive oil and place on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in the preheated oven and cook for about 10-15 minutes or until they are just tender.

Meanwhile, cook the meat in a skillet until browned. Remove and drain off excess fat. Add a little oil to the skillet and cook the onions, mushrooms, and remaining zucchini pieces until they are slightly browned and soft. Mix in the spaghetti sauce and add the meat back in. Heat through.

Remove the zucchini from the oven. Top with the sauce mixture. If you like, you can put them back into the oven for a few minutes to blend the flavors.

Serve the extra sauce alongside your dinner.

I Want Wings

Many of us are on a “paleo challenge” at the moment, and are looking for some variety in our meals. Wings are great for a nice casual dinner and even better for a snack to grab and go. These wings need to sit in a marinade for about 8 hours, so prepare them early in the day or let them sit overnight before cooking.

Serve them up with guacamole or salsa for dipping.

Ingredients for Marinade:

1 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed and cut into slices

5 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

1 tablespoon tomato paste

2 tablespoons raw honey (melted in microwave)

½ teaspoon red chile flakes (optional)

Juice of 2 limes

½ teaspoon sea salt

Zest of 1 lime

Remaining ingredients:

3 lbs. of chicken wings (skin removed)

Fresh cilantro

1 lime

Preparation:

Remove the zest of 1 lime. Set aside.

Combine the jalapeno through sea salt in a blender or small food processor. Process until well combined.

Place the chicken in a large bowl or Ziploc bag. Coat with the processed mixture. Mix in lime zest. Place in refrigerator and marinate for 8 hours or overnight.

Move a shelf in your oven to 6” below top heating element. Preheat your broiler to high. Place the chicken on baking sheets covered in parchment or tin foil. Broil 6” from heating element. Cook about 5 minutes on each side, or until cooked all the way through.

Serve wings with chopped cilantro and extra slices of lime. 

Bacon Egglets

These egg cups are a paleo twist on the traditional quiche. You can use whatever meat or vegetables you have in the refrigerator. Try them with an organic sausage or asparagus. Make a batch and freeze the leftovers for another day. To reheat, place frozen egglets into a 450 degree oven until crispy on the outside and warm in the middle.

Ingredients:

6 fresh eggs plus 3 egg yolks

1 ½ cups coconut milk (refrigerated, such as So Delicious)

5 slices bacon

¼ cup onion, chopped

¼ cup semi-dried tomatoes, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup fresh spinach, chopped

Sea salt

Pepper

Paprika

Makes 1 dozen

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Spray a 12-cup muffin pan with olive oil.

Mix eggs, egg yolks, and coconut milk with a whisk in a large bowl.

Cook bacon until crispy. Place on paper towels and blot well. Break into small pieces when cool.

Pour off bacon fat from pan. Add the onion and cook for several minutes, then add the tomatoes and garlic. Stir for another minute. Add the spinach and cook until it wilts. Season with salt and pepper. Turn off heat.

Place a spoonful of the spinach mixture into the bottom of each muffin cup. Add the bacon and pour the egg mixture evenly into the muffin cups. (Fill about ¾ full.) Sprinkle with paprika.

Bake for about 17 minutes or until the tops of the egglets are lightly browned.

Remove the pan from the oven and cool for about 5 minutes. Remove the egglets onto a rack or plate covered with paper towels to absorb any extra moisture. Serve warm.

Stir-Fry Beef with Bok Choy

A Chinese meal calls for a Chinese vegetable. Bok choy is a leafy cabbage that is packed with phyto-nutrients, vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants. It’s delicious just steamed with a little water or broth, but even better in a stir-fry. Separate the leaves from the stalks before cooking. The leaves cook quickly, but the stalks take a little longer. You can use both in this recipe, or just the leaves.

Ingredients: 

Olive or coconut oil

1 lb. lean beef (flank steak, top round), cut into thin strips

1 large onion, chopped into large pieces

1 large bell pepper, seeded, chopped into large pieces

2 stalks celery, sliced into 1” pieces

12 oz. mushrooms, sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

1” piece fresh ginger, minced

½ cup of tamari sauce (or Coconut Aminos)

2 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon of agave nectar

1 head of bok choy, cleaned, stalks removed (chop stalks and leaves separately)

2 green onions, chopped

Cashews, chopped

Preparation:

Mix the tamari sauce, cider vinegar, and agave nectar together in a small cup or bowl. Set aside.

Heat a skillet to medium-high. Add 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the beef (in two batches if necessary), and brown on all sides. Transfer beef and juices to a bowl.

Add another tablespoon of oil to skillet. Add the onion, pepper, and celery and cook for about 5 minutes or until the vegetables are fork-tender and lightly browned. Place in the bowl with the beef.

Add a little more oil to skillet if necessary. Cook the mushrooms until they brown. Turn down the heat and add the garlic and ginger. Stir for a minute. Put the contents of the bowl back into the skillet (with any juices), and add the tamari sauce mixture. Stir to combine. Add the chopped bok choy (stalks pieces first, and then the leaves) and stir again. Cook until the leaves are tender.

Spoon a serving of the stir-fry into a bowl, along with some of the sauce. Top with a sprinkle of green onions and cashew nuts. 

Pork with Pineapple Salsa

Bring back the taste of summer. Uncover your grill and prepare the ingredients for this easy recipe. Charring the meat, pineapple, and peppers adds a nice smokiness to the meal. As an alternative, you can sear them on the stovetop and finish the meat in the oven.

The salsa would also go well with grilled fish or chicken. If you like some extra heat, swap out the Anaheim peppers for Serrano or habanero varieties. Serve over a bed of tender, buttery lettuce like Bibb or Boston.

Ingredients for salsa dressing:

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon water

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon agave nectar

Sea salt and pepper

2 teaspoons cilantro, chopped

Ingredients:

1 pork tenderloin

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon ground coriander

½ teaspoon red pepper

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

1 red bell pepper

1 fresh pineapple

2 chiles, (Anaheim, serrano, or habanero)

Lettuce

1 avocado

To prepare:

Mix together all of the dressing ingredients. Stir well and set aside.

Preheat the grill, or oven to 350 degrees.

Place the pork in a large Ziploc bag or bowl. Add the olive oil and coat well. Add the spices and rub on all sides.

While the meat is marinating, prepare the fruit and peppers. Cut the pineapple in half horizontally. (Save one half for another use.) Core and slice the pineapple into ¾” slices. Cut the red pepper into four pieces, removing the stem and seeds.

Cook the pork on the grill until it reaches 155 degrees. (For oven: sear until browned on the stove. Transfer to an ovenproof pan and cook to the same temperature.) Remove meat and let it sit loosely covered for 10 minutes.

Brush the grill with olive oil, or heat a grill pan to medium-high on the stove. Grill the pineapple and peppers until charred, about 5 minutes per side. Remove to a cutting board and chop into pieces. Combine with the dressing and mix well.

Place lettuce leaves on plates. Top with slices of pork and spoon on the salsa. Peel the avocado and place a slice on each serving, along with a sprig or two of the fresh cilantro.

Oven Braised Short Ribs

Another winter winner, based on an Epicurious recipe. If you love to spend time in the kitchen preparing a top-notch meal, then this recipe is for you. The enjoyment of the dish is not just in the eating, but also in the process of creating the dish.  Plan to make the ribs on a more leisurely day when you have time to chop, taste, and smell your way through each step.

The short ribs are so tender and the resulting sauce is thick and flavorful. Serve over mashed sweet potatoes or cauliflower.

Ingredients:

4 beef short ribs

Olive oil

Sea salt

Pepper

1 onion, peeled, cut into 8 pieces

2 carrots, peeled, cut into quarters

2-3 stalks celery, cut into quarters

½ cups tomato paste

2 cups dry red wine or beef broth

½ cup cider vinegar

4 cups beef stock

2 cups water

3 sprigs of fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

4 slices bacon

1 cup butternut squash, peeled, cut into 1” pieces

3-4 carrots, peeled, cut into 1” pieces

Special equipment: Oven-safe stockpot with lid

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Preparation:

Heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot. Season the short ribs with salt and pepper and brown on all sides. 

Place on a plate. If needed, add another tablespoon of oil to the pot. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook for about 5 minutes, or until just beginning to brown. Stir in the tomato paste, wine (or beef broth), and vinegar. Bring to a boil and cook until the liquid is reduced by half. Then add the beef stock, water, sprigs of thyme and the bay leaf. Bring to a boil again and add the short ribs. Turn off the heat.

Cover the pot and place it in the middle of the oven. Cook for about 2 to 2 ½ hours, or until the ribs are tender.

Remove the ribs carefully from the broth and set aside. Strain the broth through a sieve into a bowl and discard the solids. Let the broth cool. Skim off any fat. Wash the pot to use in the next step.

Cut the bacon into small pieces and cook in the cleaned pot until crispy. Drain the bacon on paper towels and wipe out any excess fat from the pot. Return the bacon and add the broth from the ribs. Boil until reduced by half. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Turn heat to low.

Cook the squash and carrots in another pot, just until fork-tender. Drain well and add to the pot with the ribs. Simmer for a minute or two.

Cioppino

Cioppino is a seafood stew that dates back to the late 1800s. Italian fishermen would bring in their catches and use whatever seafood they had available to make a steaming bowl of thickened soup with a tomato-based broth. The traditional recipe is made with wine, but you can choose to make a more paleo version by substituting more vegetable stock.

Note: Cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of your seafood. If you need to, add the different seafood as the dish cooks. For example, if you have very large scallops, but very small shrimp, add the scallops first and cook halfway through before adding the shrimp. Most shellfish will cook in about 4 minutes.

Ingredients: 

1 fennel bulb, stalks removed, coarsely sliced

1 medium onion, quartered

3 garlic cloves, peeled

Olive oil

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 cup dry white wine (or vegetable stock)

1 cup vegetable broth

1 (8 oz.) bottle of clam juice

1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes (no sugar added)

2 bay leaves

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper

Sea salt

Black pepper

2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, chopped

1 lemon

Seafood ingredients:

10 oz. skinless filet of snapper or halibut

8 large shrimp, peeled and deveined

4 large sea scallops

12 clams or mussels, cleaned

Preparation:

Chop the fennel, onion, and garlic in a food processor on “pulse”, just until coarsely chopped. Heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the vegetables, and thyme. Cook for several minutes or until the vegetables soften.

Add the wine and reduce until about half the wine is evaporated. Add the vegetable broth, clam juice, tomatoes, bay leaves, crushed red pepper, and salt and black pepper. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Heat a skillet to high. Add a tablespoon of oil, lifting pan to coat the bottom. Add the scallops just until brown on each side. Remove to a plate. Add the fish and sear on each side for 90 seconds. Add to the plate and set aside until the soup base is done.

Uncover the soup base and return the heat to medium-high. Add the fish, scallops, shrimp, and clams. Cover and cook for about 4-5 minutes. The shellfish should open. Discard any that do not open.

Ladle soup into bowls and sprinkle with some parsley. Serve with a wedge of lemon.