Recipe: Paleo Bacon Burgers

One of my favorite questions that people ask when they learn about my diet restrictions goes something like “My goodness…what CAN you eat?” Well, as regular readers probably know, you can eat just about anything (you just need to work a bit harder for it). The picture above should be evidence of that!

This weekend I was traveling, and despite my best efforts I did go hungry a couple of times. So I wanted to make tonight’s dinner a feast of fantastic proportions to counteract my lean weekend. I rediscovered some Applegate Turkey Burgers in the freezer and decided that tonight would be burger night. After a pitstop to whole foods to pick up some nitrate-free organic Applegate bacon, I set to work. Making turkey burgers is no easy feat when you need to make pretty much everything from scratch (the only thing that I had pre-prepared was the frozen patties). I had to make the ‘buns’ (which are just pancakes) and the onion rings from scratch. I’ve provided the recipe for the onion rings below (the pancakes can be found here. Incidentally, I replaced the eggs in the pancake recipe with egg whites. The pancakes were lumpier, but much lower in cholesterol and still tasty). As for the fillings, get creative! Add whatever you’d like!

Gluten-Free, Paleo Onion Rings (you know, except for the fact that cavemen probably weren’t frying things):

1/4 cup Almond Flour
2 tbsp cocolunt flour, sifted
1/4 cup arrowroot starch
1/2 tsp granulated garlic
1/8 tsp turmeric
2 eggs (substituting egg whites doesn’t work very well)
1/2 cup coconut milk (I used water because I didn’t have coconut milk. You may need a little more)
Frying oil
2 onions, sliced into thin rings

Instructions:

Place the flours, arrowroot, and spices in a medium bowl, whisk to combine. Add the eggs and coconut milk (or water). Whisk until smooth. If the batter is too thick, add additional coconut milk for desired consistency.

In a large non-stick skillet, heat enough oil to come half way up the sides of the onion slices to 330 degrees. Coat onion slices into batter, shake of excess batter, and place into hot oil. Cook each side for 2 minutes, then remove with tongs an set on a paper towel to remove excess oil. Enjoy!

Recipe: Paleo Burritos

So, the world keeps knocking me down as far as baked goods go. By retreating back to the Paleo diet and avoiding all grains completely, I am now limited to almond flour and coconut flour in terms of baking tools. While I’ve seen some pretty creative recipes for solving the tortilla dilemma (one of which involved food processing cauliflower, adding egg, and baking that in a tortilla shape), all of them posed an intrusive flavor. And then, my boyfriend mentioned to me that Jimmy John’s (the sandwich company) offers a bread-free sandwich called an ‘Unwich.’ Basically, they wrap your sandwich ingredients in lettuce! While Jimmy Johns would likely continue to be unsafe for a celiac, the idea is genius! So I tried to apply it to an old standby: tacos and burritos. And I must say, it works beautifully! Depending on which type of lettuce leaf you use, you can lump all of your taco ingredients into a good sized leave, fold it just like you would a tortilla, bite into a crunchy outer ‘shell,’ and enjoy!

Here’s my basic burrito recipe (free of nightshades, which still cause headaches and hives in my case). It is grain-free and legume-free (as are all Paleo Dishes), but I couldn’t resist adding cheese in. I seem to tolerate it pretty well, so what the heck?

Ingredients (to make 3 burritos):
For Meat:
1lb chicken breast (cubed) or 1lb ground beef
Cilantro
1/2 tsp Salt and Pepper
1 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Onion Powder

For Guacamole:
1 avocado
1/2 clove garlic, chopped
1/4 yellow onion, diced
1 lime
Salt and Pepper
1/4 tsp Cumin

1 slice American Cheddar Cheese, cut into strips (this is what I had on hand!)
Lettuce (Kale and Romaine both work nicely, but you could probably use anything you have lying around 🙂 ).

Instructions:

Make the Guacamole first. Gut the avocado until you’re left with only the green meat, and place in bowl. Add the juice from 1/2 a lime, the chopped garlic, and the diced onion, and mash together (works best with 2 spoons). Once mashed, add salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate until ready to add to burrito. (Note: traditional guacamole recipes call for jalapeno peppers and tomatoes. Feel free to add these if you don’t have a nightshade intolerance).

For chicken, you’ll need to slice the chicken into small chunks and season the small chunks while they rest on a plate. For ground beef, you’ll need to place the 1 lb chunk of ground beef in a mixing bowl, season, and then mix the meat with your hands. Add all seasonings to meat, and then transfer meat to a hot, greased skillet (over medium heat). Cook until done, and set aside.

Cut your slice of cheddar cheese (Aged white is my preference!), into strips. Serve everything on a large plate, and allow the person eating to assemble their burritos.

To assemble, use a spoon to place two dabs of guacamole onto the center of a lettuce leaf. Use the back of the spoon to spread the guacamole evenly. Add your meat directly on top of the guac, and cover with cheese strips. Wrap, and enjoy! I know they’re simply, but they’re positively delicious.

A final thought, if you use Kale, you might be looking at a $5-foot-long burrito 🙂 (pictured below)

Recipe: 4th of July Chicken Fingers

Hello Readers! So, on National Holidays, we as a nation gather to commemorate this or that major event over hot dogs, burgers, and some form of fried chicken. So today, on the Fourth of July, I really just wanted some chicken nuggets. You might think that a highly restricted, Paleo Diet might get in the way of that timeless cook-out dish, but it hasn’t! May I present to you my Paleo Chicken Nuggets, which are baked and lightly “breaded” with almond flour. Not only are the allergen- and Paleo-friendly, but they’re a healthier alternative to anyone who enjoys this time-honored treat.

Ingredients:
1lb Chicken Breast, cut into slices (for fingers) or cubes (for nuggets)
1 cup almond flour
2 eggs, lightly whisked
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/4 tsp Garlic
1/4 tsp Onion Powder
1/4 tsp Cumin
Any other spices you’d like to add! (you could add cayenne or paprika if you’re not nightshade-phobic, like me!).

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine Flour and all spices in a bowl, mix well. Once you’ve cut the chicken into your desired shapes (you could even pound the breast and use cookie cutters to make fun Dino Nuggets!), dip each strip into the bowl of whisked egg. Once coated in egg, toss the chicken in a bowl filled with the almond flour and spices. Spray a cooking sheet lightly with olive oil, and place strips on the sheet. Place the sheet in the oven for 15 minutes. Once the 15 minutes are up, turn the broiler on your oven to Low, and broil the nuggets for 5 minutes. Turn over, and broil the other side for another 3-5 minutes. Let cool for 2 minutes, serve with your favorite sauce, and Enjoy! Happy Birthday America!

Recipe: Jerusalem Turkey Burgers

When I started learning to cook for my new gluten-free lifestyle, Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi was one of the first cookbooks to catch my eye. The book itself is beautifully crafted, rife with colorful photographs, and filled with unique stories of life in Jerusalem. Simply as a book, it sheds light on a culture always on the periphery of the American Mind.

When you start cooking the recipes in the book, however, the streets of the city come alive in your kitchen as the spices z’atar, sumac, and cumin charge the air with their unique aromas. Written for the dilettante chef interested in Israeli food, the recipes utilize authentic ingredients but remain simple enough for even the most novice of home cooks. Today, I made the Turkey Burger Recipe found on page 200. Without the sour cream based sauce, the turkey burger patties are completely gluten-free and paleo! With the sauce, they’re just all the more delicious. They only took me about 30 minutes to make from scratch (although they did create quite a few dishes to clean). Each burger’s varied flavors kept every bite interesting, and it took willpower for me to set just 3 of the 12 total aside for tomorrow’s work-day lunch!

Turkey & Zucchini Burgers with green onion & cumin, from Jerusalem

Ingredients:

For the patties:
1lb ground turkey
1 large zucchini, coarsely grated
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1 large egg
2 tbsp chopped mint
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (ommitted when I made them. Cayenne is a nightshade).
olive oil for pan searing

For the sauce (optional. Do not include if you’d like to eat Paleo):
1/2 cup sour cream
2/3 cup greek yogurt
1 tsp grated lemon zest
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 garlic clove, crushed
1.5 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp sumac
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

Instructions:
First, make the sour cream sauce by placing all the ingredients in a small bowl. Stir well and set aside or chill until needed.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients for the meatballs except the oil. Mix with your hands and then shape into about 18 burgers (I made 12).

Pour the oil into a large frying pan to form a layer about 1/8 inch thick. Heat the oil over medium heat until hot, and sear the meatballs in batches on all sides. Cook for about 4 minutes on each side until golden brown.

Transfer the seared meatballs to a baking sheet lined with wax paper (I just sprayed it with olive oil. Ran out of wax paper last week!). Place in the over for 5-7 minutes. Serve warm, with sauce if desired.

Recipe: Paleo Pecan Crusted Baked Salmon

Hello Readers! Sorry for the gap in posting, I’ve been preoccupied with learning a new programming language :] That, and I got a little tired of cooking elaborate meals every night. So, I took a break and subsisted on plain baked chicken and broccoli. I do have some very exciting news for you! In the past 10 days, I’ve been able to successfully add milk, chocolate, and coffee back into my diet! Needless to say my sweet tooth is very grateful. I’ve also been able to definitively identify potatoes as a major instigator of my hives and vinegar (seemingly all types) as a second culprit. So it has been an eventful few weeks for me! I did start keeping a food journal (which helped me pinpoint vinegar as a problem), and I’ve actually found it to be a somewhat enjoyable hobby to track my food intake. I guess that shows you how exciting of a person I am 😉

Anyway, I’ve got lots of recipes to post! The picture above is of Pecan Crusted Baked Chicken with a vinegar-less honey-mustard seasoning. It came out very sweet (due to the lack of vinegar), and still requires some tweaking. I ended up trying to add a ton of salt to make up for the lack of vinegar, but the dish was still overpowered by the sweetness of the honey. It was, never-the-less, delicious, although pallets without a proclivity for sweets might not enjoy it as much. Rather than posting the recipe for this one, I think I’ll try to remake it with better results. Look forward to the update! 😀

Recipe: Paleo Orange Chicken

One of the first things that I made for myself when I went gluten free was orange chicken. Now that I’m forced to restrict my diet even further, I needed to re-imagine one of my favorite dishes in the spirit of my great great great great great great ^ 20th grandparents (ie: the cavepeople, to be politically correct). And I have to say, it came out surprisingly well. I don’t think I’ll use coconut oil for sauteing the chicken and moistening the Cauli-Rice (‘rice’ made from cauliflower) again, because the coconut flavor that penetrated the entire dish was a little distracting. Unfortunately, coconut oil/mana/aminos/flour are staples of the Paleo diet, so my life long aversion to the flavor simply has to go. Aside from being unable to fry the chicken (since I wasn’t able to coat it in anything), I thought the dish came out pretty well. The Cauli-Rice was surprisingly delicious, with a pretty memorable omage to your local hibachi place’s fried rice. The chicken achieved an interesting crunchyness when fried in the coconut oil. I would add a bit more garlic in next time. I had intended to use a garlic paste that’s in my refrigerator, but, as a relic of my less healthful days, it was chock full of ingredients that are strictly prohibited on my new diet. Anyway, enjoy!

Paleo Orange Chicken

Ingredients:

For Chicken:

2 Oranges, Juiced

Zest of 1 Orange

2 Chicken Breasts (using dark me would be more reminiscent of real orange chicken, but I used breast since it’s what I had)

2 Cloves Garlic, Minced

Chilli Powder (Optional)

3 Tbsp Coconut Aminos (soy sauce replacement)

3 Green Onions, Chopped

1 Tsp Ginger, Minced

For Cauli-Rice:

1 head of Cauliflower, chopped or processed in a food processor to be the size of rice grains (two pulses per floret in my magic bullet!)

Half a White Onion, Chopped

Salt and Pepper to taste

Garlic Powder

Instructions for Chicken: In a medium size sauce pot, add the orange juice, zest, ginger, coconut aminos and chili garlic sauce or sriracha. Set over medium heat and let simmer to reduce and thicken while the chicken cooks. In a saute pan, heat 3 T of the fat of your choice, over medium high heat. Add the chopped chicken thighs and cook until a nice brown crust has developed on the chicken pieces, about 6 minutes. Add the chicken to the sauce pot and stir to coat with the orange sauce. Serve topped with sliced green onions.

Instructions for Rice: Place a small sauce pan over medium heat, melt 2 Tbsp of coconut oil. Add onions and cook until clear. After onions are finished cooking, add Cauli-rice. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Serve with chicken. (I think the rice tastes better with a little browning in parts, so don’t be afraid to increase the heat a bit).

Enjoy!

Recipe: Paleo Mahi Mahi with Mango Avocado Salsa

Finding ways to satisfy my powerful sweet tooth is one of the main challenges of my hyper-restrictive diet. So when the idea to create Mango Salsa hit me out of the blue in the middle of work (at 11am, no less), I spent the whole day dreaming of my future creation. It turned out to be every bit as delicious as I had hoped! This dish is very rich in healthy fats and oils, including Omega-3 (Mahi), Omega-6 (Avocado), and Folate! It definitely hit the spot after a week straight of eating salt-and-pepper chicken (bleh!). I’ve also recently purchased an indoor electric grill designed specifically for apartment dwellers. It’s been a wonderful addition to my cooking tools, and I’d highly recommend one to anyone who is also bound by lease rules! (I’ve linked the model that I bought, which I’m very happy with, below).

For Salsa:

1 Mango, Diced (you could peel it, but It didn’t make much of a difference to me. Besides, there are tons of nutrients in fruit skins!)

1.5 Avocado, Peeled and Diced (I had small ones, hence the .5)

Juice from 1 Lime

Fresh Cilantro (I had to used dried, because the store was out. But use fresh, the flavor is much more potent).

Minced Garlic

Salt to Taste

Instructions: Combine all Ingredients (easy enough!)

For Mahi Mahi:

2 6oz portions of Mahi Mahi

Cilantro Leaves

Garlic

Salt and Pepper

Instructions: Season fish with ingredients as desired (I’d recommend emphasizing the Garlic most of all. It comes through nicely with the salsa). ‘Grill’ fish on 350 degree grill top for 5 minutes on each side. Fish is delicate, so be careful!

Indoor Grill: http://www.amazon.com/Calphalon-Kitchen-Electrics-Removable-Plate/dp/B008P47F6K/ref=pd_sim_sbs_k_2 (I know the Cuisinart version of this has many more reviews, but upon examining them side by side, this one seems to have a far superior build. Plus the feature that allows you to open the grill entirely up and have 2 cooking surfaces puts this one over the top.)

Paleo Recipe: Butternut Squash Hash

Hello Readers! First, I wanted to share with all of you that I’m feeling absolutely wonderful. I’m hive free, I’m optimistic, and things are looking up! As you know, There has been a two week gap in my posting following a hives relapse. You can read more about this at the bottom of the “Bucking the Trend” page! My recipes for a short while will be Paleo + Nightshade free. Lets start off with a new one: Butternut Squash Hash!

First, let me make one thing clear: I LOVE potatoes. I mean, they kept the Irish alive for centuries! I love them in a box, with a fox, in a tree, but most of all, drenched in sour cream and chives. Alas, out of fear that nightshades might be contributing to my hives, I’ve cut them out of my diet for the time being. So, I created an alternative using butternut squash! This recipe tastes a lot like a Sweet Potato hash (think the cubed potatoes you’d have served to you at Perkins or IHOP), and is easy and delicious. The most difficult part is cubing the butternut squash, which takes me nearly half an hour to do (if I’m cutting up a whole one). One half of a squash makes enough for 2 people, and you can halve everything in the recipe if you need to.

Butternut Squash Hash:

Ingredients:

1 Butternut Squash, peeled, cubed (I recommend warming the squash in the microwave for 1.5 to two minutes to make it easier to work with. Cutting it is dangerous! I cut through my thumbnail )

1/2 White Onion, diced

Salt and Pepper

Olive Oil

Instructions:

Pretty much just Saute everything in a skillet with olive oil! I’d recommend caramelizing the onions in the skill for a bit before adding the squash, as this seems to impart a stronger onion flavor. Add the butternut squash (carefully, don’t splatter the hot oil on yourself. It burns your skin. I may or may not know this from experience…), and cook until it’s soft enough for you to split in half with a plastic spatchula. If you over cook the squash, it turns out a bit too mushy for my taste.

Recipe: Cornmeal Crusted Mahi Mahi

Tonight’s delicious, easy, and healthy dinner! Cornmeal Crusted, pan-fried Mahi Mahi with Tahini Sauce and steamed broccoli. I’d like to encourage you to buy the cookbook that this recipe comes from (it’s just wonderful). I will say, that the tahini sauce (which really makes the dish) is a combination of equal parts high-quality mayo and buttermilk with pickled sunchokes. The Cornmeal crust is a mix of yellow cornmeal (gluten-free!), flour (I used an impromptu mix of potato starch (30%) and brown rice flour (70%) to ensure gluten-free goodness!), salt, and pepper.

I was stunned by both A) how delicious this was and B) that it came from MY kitchen. If you need any tips on how took cook or ensure the crust sticks to your Mahi filet, send me a message and I’ll happily tell you!

Recipe: Burritos

I’m not sure I can express, in words, how delicious these burritos turned out to be. If Chipotle burritos were the most popular football player in high school, these burritos are the successful 6-digit salaried lawyer who grows into his dashing good looks in college and comes back to shame that has-been football player at the high school’s 10 year reunion. To be completely honest, I kind of winged these. Two of the ingredients I used were pre-made: the tortillas (Udi’s: http://udisglutenfree.com/products/large-tortillas/) and Whole Food’s Guacamole. The tortillas were pretty excellent considering they are gluten-free. The taste was solid, the flexibility was pretty good (they could withstand the abuse of rolling the burrito, with only some minor tearing at the corners). They were slightly too “floury” for my taste (sort of like a dusty texture), but other than that they were excellent!

And then there was the guacamole. Oh lord, that guacamole was good. So, so good. If you don’t live near a Whole Foods, you can substitute whatever guac you’d like (or make your own). But if you do, and you don’t immediately get in your car and go buy this guac, you’re missing out!

Serves 4:

Ingredients

Chicken, 2 small boneless breasts, cubed
Tomatoes, 2 small, diced
Green Pepper, sliced
Onion, 1/2 diced
Fresh Cilantro (1/4 cupish)
Black beans (less than a can is needed)
Lime, 1/2
Garlic, 1 clove
Red Pepper Flakes
Chef Paul's Blackening Seasoning
Salt, Pepper
Sour Cream
Guacamole
Brown Rice, 1.5 cups
Cheese (Pick your poison, we used Kearney's)
Udi's Gluten-Free Tortillas

Instructions

For Chicken:

Ingredients
Red Pepper Flakes
One Garlic Clove, Minced
Chef Paul's Magic Blackening Seasoning
Salt

Cut boneless chicken breast into small cubes or rectangles. Dust slightly with salt, more thoroughly with the blackening seasoning, and throw just a few red pepper flakes on at the end. Do this for both sides of the chicken. In a skillet, warm some oil, throw the garlic in with a few more red pepper flakes. Allow the flavors of these two infuse with the oil. Add chicken to the seasoned oil, and cook until browned on each side.

For Seasoned Burrito Rice:

Oil (I used olive), 1.5 tbsp
Cilantro
Juice from 1/2 a Lime
Zest from 1/2 a Lime
Black Pepper to taste

For Cooked Peppers/Onions

Cook in light oil. Salt and Pepper to taste.

Combine all of these ingredients in a small bowl. Pour over finished rice. Mix well.