Paleo Diet: Sundried Tomato Chicken Bake

This recipe is so easy. You just dump chicken in a dish and top with sliced garlic and a jar of sundried tomatoes, bake and you're done! I absolutely love sundried tomatoes, so this dish is right up my alley.

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts cut in half
8.5 oz jar of julliane cut sun dried tomatoes
8 garlic cloves, sliced thin
2 tablespoons dried basil
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375. Place the chicken breasts in a large glass baking dish. Sprinkle with the dry spices and mix well. Sprinkle the sliced garlic on top and spread the sun dried tomatoes and the olive oil that it’s in the jar over the entire dish. Seal tightly with tin foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the tin foil and bake for another 15 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink in the middle.

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Paleo Diet: Cilantro-Pork Stir Fry

I used to hate cilantro, and now I am obsessed with this herb. So naturally I loved this dish. I do, however, hate ginger, so I left this ingredient out, but if you like it, go for it! I am always looking for new ways to cook pork and this recipe is a great solution to that dilemma. A squeeze of lime juice at the end adds a great freshness and acidity to this dish.

Ingredients
Fat for cooking;
1 lb tender pork, thinly sliced;
4 finally chopped garlic cloves;
1 tbsp finely chopped ginger;
1 cup coriander (cilantro) leaves, chopped;
1/4 cup olive oil;
2 onions, thinly sliced;
1 red or green bell pepper, thinly sliced;
1 tbsp lime juice;

Technique
Mix the garlic, ginger, half the cilantro and olive oil in a bowl, add the pork and put in the refrigerator to marinate for an hour or two. Heat your wok and stir-fry the pork. Remove the pork, add more cooking fat and stir-fry the onions for about 3 minutes. Add the bell pepper and stir-fry for another 3 minutes, until soft. Return the pork to the wok with the lime juice and the other half cilantro leaves and cook for another minute while tossing to blend the flavors.

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Paleo Diet: Hungarian Beef Goulash

This is one of the best goulash recipes I have ever made and it follows the Paleo Diet. I suggest making extra of the dish and freezing for leftovers. Grass-fed beef is suggested, but the dish will still be delicious if you use regular beef. Also, don't allow "bone stock" scare you. Just use beef stock, and the kind in a box is fine. Goulash is all about the paprika, so if you can find a good smoked or Hungarian paprika - even better!

Serves 2-3
Ingredients
Cooking oil (lard, tallow, or butter are three good choices)
1/2 Lb stewing beef, cut in cubes (choose grass-fed beef);
2 medium onions, sliced;
1 large garlic clove, crushed and minced;
1 bell pepper, sliced;
2 tbsp paprika (this can be adjusted to taste, don’t be scared to use a lot of it);
2 tsp caraway seeds;
1 can chopped tomatoes (fresh tomatoes is even better);
1 1/2 cups of bone stock (beef stock is best, but anything will do);
Chopped parsley for garnishing.

Technique
Preheat your oven to 350 F. You can also use a crock-pot, on low temperature.

Brown the beef cubes in a pot with the cooking oil.

Put the beef aside and now brown and soften the onions. Add the garlic and bell pepper and cook to soften about 5 minutes on medium heat.

Put back the beef to the pot and add the spices, tomatoes and stock.

Put a lit on the pot and transfer to the hot oven or put the preparation in your crok-pot.

Let it cook for about 2 hours to 2 1/2 hours, until the beef is fork tender.

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Paleo Diet: Olive, Garlic and Lemon Chicken

I am trying to follow the Paleo Diet, but I am following it loosely because the Paleo Diet is a bit extreme - no potatoes, no pasta, no bread, no grains at all. But I have found quite a few good Paleo recipes that leave you satisfied. Even my husband has had no complaints. Here is one of those recipes. The recipe calls for chicken thighs, but if you're not a fan of dark meat, you can use bone-in chicken breasts.

Serves 4
Ingredients
1/4 cup butter (or ghee), tallow, coconut oil or poultry fat;
1/2 lb black olives (kalamata), cut in half;
8 chicken thighs, with bones and skin (or 4 bone-in chicken breasts);
3 cups onions, sliced thin;
30 gloves garlic, minced and smashed almost to a paste;
1/2 cup lemon juice;
2 extra lemons, thickly sliced (remove seeds with the tip of a knife);
1 1/2 cups chicken stock;
A bunch of picked thyme leaves;
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste;

Technique
Preheat your oven to 350 F.

Melt the first 1/4 cup fat in a large and hot pan and brown the chicken pieces on all sides. It will take about 6 minutes total. Set the chicken aside.

Cook the onions until soft, about 3 minutes, and make sure to scrape all the delicious chicken bits off the pan while doing so.

Add the garlic and cook for about a minute, until fragrant. You can season with salt and pepper at this point.

Add the chicken stock, thyme and lemon juice and return the chicken thighs to the pan, skin side up.

Bring to a simmer and put the pan, covered, in the hot oven for about 20 minutes.

Remove the lid, add the halved olives as well as the lemon slices and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes uncovered.

Serve the chicken with the olive, garlic and lemon sauce as well as with some of the lemon slices.

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Creamy Cauliflower Puree

This one is for all my low carb lovers. I have recommeded before taking cauliflower and mashing it up in the place of mashed potatoes, so here is a great recipe. I haven't actually tried it, but I plan on making it soon. This recipe is courtesy of my boss via Eating Well Magazine. If my boss and fellow foodie likes it, it has to be good.

Ingredients:
8 cups bite-size cauliflower florets (about 1 head)
4 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
1/3 cup buttermilk
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon butter
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Snipped fresh chives for garnish

Place cauliflower florets and garlic in a steamer basket over boiling water, cover and steam until very tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Place the cooked cauliflower and garlic in a food processor. Add buttermilk, 2 teaspoons oil, butter, salt and pepper; pulse several times, then process until smooth and creamy. Transfer to a serving bowl. Drizzle with the remaining 2 teaspoons oil and garnish with chives, if desired. Serve hot.

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Veggie Side Dishes for Thanksgiving

Roasting vegetables is a very healthy and delicious way to cook vegetables. It enhances the flavors of the vegetables without losing any of the nutrients. Drizzle the vegetables with olive oil, season with a little Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper. You could also use some fresh or dried herbs, a squeeze of lemon, etc.

Roast Asparagus
Start by trimming the ends of a bunch of asparagus. The easiest way to do this is hold one at each of the ends and bend until it snaps, this will give you a good guide and then you can use a knife to cut the rest of the bunch at the same place.Lay the asparagus out on a cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil and season with Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper. You could squeeze a little fresh lemon on top. Bake the asparagus in a pre-heated oven at around 400 degrees. Cook for about 10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the stalks. At about halfway turn the asparagus.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts
I know most people don't like brussel sprouts, but that is probably because your mom used to boil the hell out of them until they were mushy and lacked all flavor. This is a much tastier wa of preparing them. Lay out the brussel sprouts on a cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil; season with Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper. Bake for 30 minutes in a 400-degree oven.

Here is a more modern and healthier take on the traditional green bean casserole.
Green Beans with Carmelized Onions and Sliced Almonds
2 lbs green beans, ends trimmed and rinsed
1 yellow or sweet onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 large clove of garlic, chopped
1 small package of sliced almonds (can be found in the baking aisle of your grocer)
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Fresh black pepper

Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick pan over medium to medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté until caramelized, about 10 minutes or so. Meanwhile in another shallow pan with tight-fitting lid, add a couple of inches of water. Bring to a boil. Season well with a few good pinches of the salt. Add the green beans and put on the lid. Let steam for about 3-5 minutes. They should be bright green and still have some crunch. This maintains flavor and nutrients. Drain the green beans and shock them in a bowl of ice water. This allows the beans to maintain that great bright color. Once the onions are caramelized, add the garlic and almonds to the pan and let brown for just a minute. Then add the green beans and sauté to coat them in the oil and allow for the onions and almonds to distribute. Season well with pepper and a little more salt.

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Pork Chops with a Caper Sauce

Here is another great Mediterranean-inspired meal. Nice and healthy, utilizing ingredients you may already have in your pantry.

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp olive oil
4 boneless pork chops, about an inch or two thick
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
2 large shallots, thinly sliced
2 generous handfuls of fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped, divided
1/2 cup dry white wine, like a Pinot Grigio
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with their juices (I like to use the no salt added tomatoes)
1/2 lemon, zested and the juice
2 tablespoons capers

In a large, heavy skillet heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Season the pork chops with salt and pepper. Add the pork to the pan and brown on both sides, about 4 minutes each side. Remove the pork from the pan, cover loosely with foil, and set aside.

Add the shallots and half of the parsley to the pan and cook over medium heat until beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the wine. Using a wooden spoon, scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the tomatoes and stir. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the pork back into the pan, so they are mostly submerged in the pan juices and tomatoes. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 12 to 15 minutes, until the pork is cooked through.

Place the pork on a serving dish. To finish the sauce, add the lemon zest, remaining parsley, capers, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine. Spoon over the pork chops and serve immediately.

I served it with rice pilaf and steamed broccoli.

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White Chipotle Chicken Chili

My husband's co-worker sent us this recipe courtesy of the South Beach Diet, so it's healthy and low-carb. It was very flavorful and we made only a couple slight changes. We ended up putting in a entire 7.5 ounce can of chipotle peppers when the recipe only calls for a teaspoon. It was pretty spicy, so if you don't like spicy, I recommend sticking to the recipe's guidelines. Also, removing the seeds will take away most of the heat, as the seeds are where most of the heat is stored. However, if you like spicy go our route.

Ingredients:
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (1 ¾ lb), cut into 1-inch chunks
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
Salt and black pepper
3 cans (14.5-oz size) white kidney or cannellini beans, drained (save ½ cup draining liquid) and rinsed
2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth, divided
1 tsp canned chipotle chili, seeded and minced
½ cup nonfat half-and-half (I used regular half-and-half, so I am sure I added a few more calories and fat grams)
Garnishes: Shredded reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese, chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Warm oil in large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add onion; cook 4 minutes, stirring. Push onion mixture to one side; add chicken to skillet; sprinkle mixture with chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Cook 5 minutes, stirring.

Increase heat to medium-high. Add 2 cans of the beans and draining liquid, 1 ¼ cups broth, and chipotle; bring to a simmer. Cook 10 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.

Meanwhile, combine remaining 1 can beans and ¾ cup broth in bowl of food processor. Puree until smooth. Add to soup in pot, along with half-and-half. Simmer a few minutes, stirring, until warmed through and flavors incorporated. Serve hot; garnish with cheese and cilantro.

Nutritional Information:
360 calories
41g protein
33 g carbohydrate
8 g fiber
5 g total fat
1g saturated fat
85 mg cholesterol
671mg sodium

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Chai Thai Teriyaki Turkey Tacos

This recipe is courtesy of my friend Michele, the brilliant creator of Intensity Academy gourmet sauces. I first had these at my first tastecasting event for Save the Tortillas. She made these then and the next time I made tacos I asked her for the recipe. It is really easy and the best turkey tacos you'll ever taste. Plus, they're healthy because a.) it's ground turkey and b.) the sauce is all natural. Thanks, Michele for a wonderful recipe! You can find Michele and her award-wining sauces at local farmer's markets and festivals. Check out the St. Pete Saturday Market every saturday at Al Lopez Park. Check out all the sauces and order at www.intensityacademysauces.com. Here is the recipe, plus a few seasonings my husband added in.

Ingredients:
1-2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 an onion, chopped
1 package ground turkey
1 tsp cumin
dash of crushed red pepper
1/2 bottle of Intensity Academy's Chai Thai Teriyaki
flour tortillas - I like TamXico's low-carb wheat tortillas
toppings: shredded cheese, sour cream, lettuce, tomato, avocado, hot sauce

In a large skillet over medium-high heat add the olive oil. Once hot, add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add the ground turkey and brown while breaking it up with a wooden spoon or spatula. Season the meat with the cumin and crushed red pepper. Once browned, add the teriyaki sauce, reduce the heat and simmer allowing the meat to absorb the sauce.

Serve on warm tortillas and top with desired toppings.

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London Broil with Chimichurri Sauce

Just when I think I have this cooking thing down a major mistake bumps me back down to reality. But, more on that later. Here is a low-carb meal using London Broil that is cooked under your broiler and served with a Chimichurri sauce. This sauce is very versatile. Use the leftovers on chicken or like I did tonight, sauteed fish.

Ingredients:
1 and 1/2 pound London Broil
olive oil
salt and pepper
a couple of handfuls of flat-leaf parsley
2 garlic cloves
2 Tbsp fresh oregano (I used thyme because I had it on hand and really didn't want to buy oregano, too. But, I think oregano is more authentic for this Argentinian sauce.)
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
handful of cherry tomatoes (Totally optional. I don't think tomatoes are low-carb, I just added them because I thought they would be good...and they were.)
3 Tbsp olive oil

Alright, this is where I screwed up. The directions that I was semi-following said to cook under your broiler by placing the oven rack on the closest setting to the flame. So being that this was my first time cooking a piece of meat in such a way, I did what I was told. Then it said to liberally drizzle the meat with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, which I did. Well, after a couple of minutes I noticed there was a lot of smoke, I peeked inside the oven and there was a flame, actual fire! I totally freaked out, closed the door, turned off the broiler and yelled fire to my husband. Needless to say, he wasn't amused. All was well, the flame went out by itself but smoked filled my house. It still kinda smells in here. Miraculously, the meat wasn't ruined and turned out pretty well.

But, this is why I test recipes prior to posting them, so you all can learn from my mistakes. So, if your broiler has two settings like mine - low and high - place it on low. And DO NOT place the oven rack closest to the flame. Instead, place it second to the top. Set the London Broil on a broiler pan, season with salt and pepper and liberally drizzle with olive oil. Cook for about 8 minutes per side. Longer if you like it more well done. But, I warn you, London Broil is a tough meat, the more done it is, the drier and chewier it will be. Remove from the oven to a cutting board, cover with foil and allow to rest for at least 5 minutes.

While the meat is resting, place the tomatoes on the pan and cook under the broiler for a minute until they get hot and pop a bit. Place the parsley, garlic, oregano or thyme, red wine vinegar and tomatoes into a food processor and chop. Add the olive oil and mix. Slice the meat thinly across the grain (the lines running horizontally through the meat). Spoon the sauce over the meat.

I served with green beans that I boiled for a few minutes and then sauteed with olive oil, garlic and sliced almonds.

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Simple Swap Outs for Low-Carb

I've had a couple of requests for low-carb meals. I haven't made any yet, but below I provide a few tips for how to make a dish low-carb with simple swap outs.

1. Instead of using bread crumbs to bread chicken or fish, take your favorite nut - pecans, walnuts, peanuts, cashews, hazlenuts - and place them into a food processor to grind down into almost a dust. Pass your preferred protein through eggwash and then into the nuts. Either cook in a pan with a little oil or bake in an oven.

2. Instead of pasta, make thin ribbons out of yellow squash and zucchini. Take a vegetable peeler and make thin, pappardelle-esque ribbons. Either boil or saute in a pan with olive oil.

3. Instead of mashed potatoes, use cauliflower. Boil the cauliflower, then mash with a little milk, butter and cheese.

I hope you'll find these tips useful. Check back tomorrow for a low-carb meal using London Broil with a chimichurri sauce.

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Low Carb Dishes

I've had a couple of requests for low carb dishes. I have to admit that I have never tried a low-carb diet, so I don't know much about it other than avoiding pasta, bread and sugar. Those are all things that I LOVE, so I have never wanted to give them up. Instead I try to consume whole wheat and multigrain pasta and breads.

However, I do have a low carb cookbook, so I will go through it this weekend and pull some ones that I think sound both yummy and satisfying.

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