Monday, February 7, 2011

Paleo Macadamia crusted chicken with pineapple coconut sauce and ginger carrots

So tonight I am posting the recipe to a full meal. This dinner was so yummy. The chicken had a yummy slightly salty and crunchy crust, the sauce with sweet and tangy, and the carrots were almost creamy with a little hint of spice. Everything just flowed together perfectly. I think that this dish would likely also work well with a simple white fish instead of chicken. Also, the sauce contains coconut butter, if you do not have coconut butter, I recommend trying a mix of coconut milk and coconut oil. However, I highly recommend getting your hands on coconut butter. Its decadent and very healthful at the same time.






Paleo Macadamia and Coconut Crusted Chicken

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast
5-6 oz roasted salted macadamia nuts, chopped finely
3 tbsp unsweetened coconut, fine shred
1/2 can coconut milk
2 tbsp coconut oil and enough to grease the pan

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a pan with coconut oil. Pour coconut oil into pie dish (or some sore of plate), mix coconut and macadamias and place in a separate pie pan (or plate). Dip the chicken breast into the coconut milk and turn to coat. Then move the chicken into the macadamia mixture, and toss to coat. Place chicken in the pan. Repeat until all chicken is coated. Place in the oven and bake for 35-45 minutes. Serve with the Pineapple Coconut Sauce or your other favorite sauce.

Paleo Pineapple Coconut Sauce

1 8oz can pineapple rings, in juice
3 tbsp coconut butter
1 lime juiced
2 tsp honey
1 6 oz can pineapple juice
2 tsp arrowroot

Add juice from pineapple rings, coconut butter, lime, pineapple juice and honey to small sauce pan. Heat over medium low heat. Add arrowroot and stir until well mixed. Heat until sauce thickens to desired consistency. Dice pineapple and mix to combine. Serve with macadamia crusted chicken or other favorite meal.

Paleo Coconut Ginger Carrots

1 bag of baby carrots
1-2 tbsp coconut oil
3 tbsp coconut milk
1/2 tsp powdered ginger
sea salt

In large skillet melt coconut oil, ensure it coats the pan, over medium heat. Add coconut milk, carrots, ginger and salt. Stir to combine, cover and cook for about 20 minutes or until carrots are tender. If the liquid steams off, then add a few tablespoons of water to continue allowing the carrots to steam. Stir every 5-7 minutes to ensure even cooking. Serve and enjoy!

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Garlic Roasted Brussel Sprouts

So you may catch on to a theme today...garlic and bacon. These two items make so many dishes wonderful that I figured why not give them a go on one of my favorite vegetables...Brussel Sprouts! These came out beautifully, lots of flavor and perfectly tender.



Paleo Garlic Roasted Brussel Sprouts

2 lbs brussel sprouts, quartered
2 pieces of bacon, cut into small pieces
1 tsp dried dill weed
1/2 tsp sea salt
4 cloves garlic, minced
oil of choice (I used avocado)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place all ingredients in roasting pan and toss to combine. Roast for 20 minutes, then stir. Roast for another 15-20 minutes, be sure to stir every 5-10 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

Paleo Banana Muffins

These muffins are great. My little guys loved them and what I loved most was their very low sugar content. You can feel pretty good about feeding yourself or your children these, but the best part is the way that they taste. Yum!



Paleo Banana Muffins

3 bananas, very ripe
6 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup coconut flour
3/4 cup almond flour
1-2 tbsp honey
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1 tsp baking soda
1/4-1/2 tsp nutmeg (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line muffin pan with papers (this recipe makes about 14 muffins, or 12 larger muffins). Place bananas in a bowl and using an electric mixer blend until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla, beat to combine. Add coconut and almond flour, mix to combine. Add oil, honey and nutmeg, mix to combine. Add baking soda and mix to combine. Fill muffin cups to 3/4 full. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until tops are a light golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool, serve and enjoy!

Paleo Bacon Garlic and Seafood Medley

My son Cavan was begging for some shrimp. He was fascinated by a bag of wild caught seafood I picked up in the freezer section. He wanted to see what squid and octopus tasted like. I quickly whipped up this lunch so he could give it a try. My boys loved this dish. The little guy was hesitant at first, but then he ate seconds and thirds. You can do this dish with just shrimp, or you can use a shellfish mix like we did.



Paleo Bacon and Garlic Seafood with Bok Choy

5 pieces bacon, cut into small pieces
2 lbs shrimp, shellfish, or mixed seafood
1 lbs bok choy, sliced thinly
8-10 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 cup white wine
sea salt
pepper

In large skillet, brown bacon over medium high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and cook seafood until nearly cooked through. Add bok choy, garlic, white wine and seasoning to taste. Allow to cook until bok choy is soft and wilted. Serve and enjoy!

Paleo BBQ sauce

My husband and I love to use our smoker. We try to make it a weekly ritual. We will typically do some delicious baby back ribs, which of course need a great barbecue sauce to accompany them. I have tried many variations, but this morning I feel like I finally nailed it. The key with this sauce is to adjust it to your own personal preference. I prefer a flavorful, slightly sweet, non spicy bbq sauce. However, if you like spicy, add some paprika and chili powder. Or if you prefer more vinegar, go to town. :)



Paleo Barbecue Sauce

1 can tomato paste
1 cup water
3 tbsp cider vinegar
1.5 tsp yacon (can also maple syrup)
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
2 tbsp orange juice
1 tbsp honey

Place all ingredients in a sauce pan. Simmer over low heat for 20-30 minutes. Allow to cool. Serve and enjoy!

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Paleo Chinese Orange Chicken

This recipe was a huge hit in my family. My boys gobbled it up, my 3 year old had 3 servings and my 2 year old ate a full plate. Hubby gobbled it up happily and sang songs of praise. I think this is the perfect solution for those craving some Chinese takeout.



Paleo Chinese Orange Chicken

Sauce
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup orange juice
1/3 cup cider vinegar
3 tbsp coconut aminos
1 tbsp orange zest
1 tbsp honey
2-3 tsp fresh ginger, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp dried minced onion (can also sub some green onion here)
pinch of red pepper flakes (add more if you like some heat)
1.5 tbsp arrowroot powder

coconut oil
1-1.5 lbs chicken breast, cut into cubes
1/4 tsp sea salt
3 tbsp arrowroot

Mix together sauce ingredients in a large bowl. Toss chicken with sea salt and arrowroot. Heat coconut oil in large skillet over medium to medium high heat. Add chicken. Stir regularly until cooked throughout. Add sauce and stir frequently. Cook about 10 minutes, or until it thickens. Serve and enjoy!

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Paleo Taco Salad, homemade Guacamole and a special drink

When I decided to set out and make a paleo dish with Mexican flavors, I never thought it would be as good as I had remembered my cheesy sour cream covered dishes to be. Still, I decided it was worth a try because I really missed the flavors and I was really craving guacamole. So here is my ultra smooth guacamole with a delicious meat. We used ground turkey, but use whatever meat suits your preference. Serve the meat and guacamole up on a big bed of lettuce, top with tomatoes, olives and any other veggies that suit your fancy. The final recipe you will see here is one for a grapefruit margarita. These are so good, but remember alcohol is very sugar heavy and should be consumed in extreme moderation.



Paleo Mexican Taco Meat

3 lbs of ground turkey
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp chili powder (more to taste)
1/4 tsp paprika
1.5 tsp cumin
1/3 cup salsa (desired spiciness, Green Mountain Gringo or El pato are some good brands)

Heat large skillet to medium heat, swirl with fat of your choice. Brown the meat until about 3/4 of the way cooked. Add seasonings. Cook until meat is fully cooked. Add salsa and toss to combine. Allow to warm throughout and serve.

Paleo Guacamole

3 avocados, pitt and skins removed
1/2 jalapeno, remove seeds
1 lime, juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder

Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Serve and enjoy!

Paleo Grapefruit Margarita

3 oz grapefruit juice
2 oz tequila
2 tbsp water (can also do sparkling water)
1/2-1 tbsp agave (or honey)

Mix all ingredients except agave into glass. Sweeten to your own taste. Serve over ice. Relax and enjoy!