Paleo Bacon Beef

I got the idea for making this recipe from my Fast Paleo app when I stumbled across TGIPaleo’s Boston Baked Beef recipe. A Paleo spin on Boston baked beans (uh, yum), her recipe calls for 2-3 hours of simmer time. In the words of Sweet Brown “Ain’t nobody got time for that!” Needless to say, I made a few tweaks of my own.

The recipe gets the basis of its flavor from unsulphured organic blackstrap molasses, a great source of nutrients like potassium, calcium, and iron – which I’m sure all of us could use more of! The kind I use is from Wholesome Sweetners, is fair trade certified, and like all blackstrap molasses ranks low on the glycemic index, giving you even more to feel good about. The addition of whole grain mustard and apple cider vinegar, or ACV, really balances out the flavor and gives the sauce quite a bit of tang. Though many of ACV’s health benefits come from its raw form as heat destroys the “mother,” it’s still a great staple to have in your kitchen to use for both cooking and everyday purposes. I actually take a 50/50 solution of Bragg’s Organic Raw ACV and filtered water in a shot glass every morning to help with digestion and balance pH levels and blood sugar – it also has the wonderful side effect of waking me up before I head out the door. So have a swig before you pour it in ;)

This is hearty take on a classic comfort food can be enjoyed over your choice of vegetable or grain, depending on how you roll. I’m trying to incorporate more glucose back into my diet so white rice, a “safe starch,” along with broccoli and peas seemed like the perfect fit. I ate the leftovers two days in a row, once cold wrapped in lettuce, and once (also cold) on its own. It’s really that good. As my boyfriend said after his first bite: “This one’s a keeper.”

This recipe is:
• Gluten-free
• Dairy-free
• Nut-free
• Soy-free
• Refined sugar-free

Paleo Bacon Beef

• 1 lb ground beef (I used 96/4)
• 8 thick slices uncured bacon, diced (or more as desired)
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 6 oz tomato paste
• 1/3 cup whole grain mustard
• 2 taplespoons honey
• 1/4 c unsulphered blackstrap molasses
• 1/2 c apple cider vinegar

1. Cook the ground beef in a skillet over medium-high heat.
2. While the beef cooks, dice your bacon and onion. When the beef is browned, remove from heat. Let cool for five minutes and drain the drippings into a heavy bottomed pot.
3. Cook the bacon in the beef drippings until crisp. Add the onions and stir, cooking for a few minutes more until the onions start to turn translucent.
4. Add the molasses, tomato paste, mustard, honey, salt and pepper, and ACV and stir it all around, working quickly so the molasses doesn’t scorch. Reduce the heat to medium and stir until well-combined.
5. As I stated before, the original recipe says 2-3 hours but after 40 minutes mine was good to go. I think the sauce would have burned had it been much longer. So let simmer for as long as you have, checking occasionally, and serve as you wish!

Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Broccoli, Cucumber, Chickpea, Tomato Salad

I haven’t felt much like cooking lately. With a two-week long heatwave and no air conditioning, it’s very easy for one to become uninspired. However, yesterday it started to cool down… with 87% humidity. No, that’s not a typo. Yes, I too thought I lived in California and NOT Florida. But I digress…

Recently I’ve been try to eat more paleo (not completely – I love a good legume, as you’ll see here!), but I wanted to make my boyfriend a delicious meal that he would enjoy but that I could eat (no gluten, dairy, or soy) while also not spending a ton of money by using things I had on hand. Chicken breasts and bacon in the freezer. A can of chickpeas in the cupboard. A bag of red onions in the pantry. Two cucumbers and a bag of spinach in the fridge. Little did I know where my inspiration would take me.

My FastPaleo app (seriously download it, 99 cents and best recipe filtering I’ve seen on a food app –including a dairy/non-dairy option!) pointed me in the direction of The Civilized Caveman’s B.O.A.R.S. Chicken Breast and then I stumbled across Martha Stewart’s Broccoli, Chickpea, and Cherry Tomato Salad… buuut seeing as I can never seem to be able to leave a recipe alone, I turned them into Bacon, Peach, Spinach Stuffed Chicken and a Broccoli, Cucumber, Chickpea, Cherry Tomato Salad, respectively.

I made the salad first and let it chill while I cooked the chicken. Though more time consuming then my normal dinner, the recipes were really delicious (IF I don’t say so myself) and I would definitely make both of them again!

Both recipes are

• Gluten-free
• Dairy-free
• Nut-free
• Soy-free

The chicken is • Paleo and the salad is • Vegetarian/vegan (and can be Paleo if you remove the chickpeas)

Bacon, Peach, Spinach Stuffed Chicken

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 4 slices of bacon
• 2 fresh peaches, diced
• 1 large red onion, diced
• 2 large handfuls of baby spinach
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• handful of fresh basil leaves (5-7 leaves), torn
• sea salt and freshly ground pepper
• kitchen twine – enough for 4 chicken breasts (ask the deli section of your local grocer – they’ll probably just give it to you for free!)

1. In a sauté pan over medium heat, cook your bacon until almost crispy, then add in the diced onion and cook until soft.
2. Add in your peaches and spinach. Once the spinach wilts, remove from heat and stir in the basil. Set aside.
3. Place a large cast iron skillet (mine’s 12″) or oven-safe sauté pan on the burner. Preheat to medium-high heat.
4. While the pan is heating, butterfly open your chicken breasts and pound them down to 1/4″ thickness with a mallet or other flat heavy object (full disclosure: I was at my boyfriend’s house [read: no kitchen tools] so I placed two layers of saran wrap over the chicken and just used a hammer). Sprinkle salt and pepper inside each breast and spread the B.B.O.P.S. reduction on the inside of the breasts, saving some for a topper if desired.
5. Preheat your oven to 350°. Tightly roll the chicken breasts lengthwise and secure with twine to make sure none of the filling comes out while you cook.
6. The pan should be nice and hot now, so go ahead and place your chicken rolls in the pan. From here, you want to sear every side of the chicken for about 1 1/2 – 2 minutes so there’s a slight char around the outside of each breast and no white spaces in between. When you get to your last side, place the pan in the oven until the chicken is cooked all the way through, another 10-15 minutes.
7. Remove from the oven and garnish with the extra B.B.O.P.S. stuffing or basil leaves OR just devour them as is.

Broccoli, Cucumber, Chickpea and Cherry Tomato Salad

• 1 pound broccoli, separated into florets
• 1/2 large cucumber, diced
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped
• sea salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1. In either a sauce pan or pot with a steamer insert, steam the broccoli until crisp-tender, 4 to 6 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the mustard, vinegars, oil, and onion until well-combined. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Add tomatoes, chickpeas, cucumber, and broccoli and stir to combine. Let cool for 5 minutes and serve room temperature or chilled.

Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Chocolate Protein Pudding

I normally try to eat a fair amount of protein, following the 30/40/30 macro ratio of fat, carbs, and protein, respectively, though sometimes I find it hard to stomach that much protein without feeling sick. However this week I started CrossFit and boy am I craving it! I’ve felt really weak when I don’t eat enough and it’s definitely been protein that’s kept me going. Tonight after dinner I wanted something sweet for dessert, but still needed to meet my protein allotment for the day. This deliciousness was the outcome:

 

Yum! You can use the plant-based protein powder of your choice, but if you use one that’s chocolate flavored you may want to use half the amount of raw cacao powder or just nix it all together. I used Pure Matters Vanilla Pea Protein, which I was going to link to but apparently the company went out of business at the beginning of this past May. How sad!

This recipe is
• Gluten-free
• Dairy-free
• Nut free*
• Soy-free*
• Vegan*

*Depending on your choice of ingredients

Gluten-free Dairy-free Chocolate Protein Pudding
serves 1

• 1/2 – 1 scoop plant-based protein powder
• 1 tablespoon raw cacao powder
• 3 tablespoons coconut, almond, hemp, or other non-dairy milk (I used coconut)
• 1 tablespoon non-dairy plain or vanilla yogurt (you can also use regular yogurt if you can tolerate it!)
• 1/2 tablespoon raw local honey or agave nectar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl, mixing well. Add your choice of toppings. I used unsweetened shredded coconut and fresh organic blueberries!

What’s your favorite plant-based protein powder? Let me know in the comments below!

Healthy Gluten-Free Tuna Veggie Burgers with Goat Yogurt Sauce

You know those days where you’re in between grocery trips and you don’t want to make anything but you want to hole up at home and you don’t trust the delivery places to disclose all their ingredients? Yea, me too. Tonight was one of those nights. The fridge was almost empty save for some assorted vegetables and the only protein I had was in my cupboard, canned. Low and behold: the tuna veggie burger.

This recipe was quick and easy to make and turned out quite deliciously. You can serve the burger on a gluten-free bun with all the usual burger fixings or go for a low-carb version on a plate, like I did, topped with avocado and yogurt sauce. Yes, I know, “yogurt isn’t dairy-free!” but hear me out: I love yogurt. When I became lactose intolerant I was eating 2 servings of nonfat greek yogurt per day (protein!) and I’ve missed it immensely every day since. However, recently I discovered goat yogurt which, like goat cheese, I can tolerate with minimal gastrointestinal upset. I’ve tried a few brands, but my favorite is Capretta for its thicker texture and slightly sour greek yogurt taste, not to mention the 15 grams of protein per cup! So use the goat yogurt if you can. If not, no worries – the burgers will be delicious either way.

This recipe is:
• Gluten-free
• Soy-free
• Nut-free
• Refined sugar-free
• Dairy-free without the yogurt sauce

Healthy Gluten-Free Tuna Veggie Burgers with Goat Yogurt Sauce
makes 6 servings

• 1/4 cup minced onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large zucchini squash, shredded, about 1 1/2 cups
• 3 medium carrots, shredded, about 1 1/2 cups
• 1 can white tuna, in water, drained and flaked
• 1 cup gluten-free bread crumbs, or ~2 pieces slightly stale gluten-free bread torn into small pieces
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 3 tablespoons golden flaxseed meal
• 1/4 teaspoon each black pepper, sea salt, cumin, cayenne pepper and turmeric
• 2+ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided

1. Heat 1 tsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, cooking the onion and garlic for about one minute.
2. Increase heat to medium high. Add in the shredded zucchini and carrots and saute until barely tender. Be careful not to overcook – you don’t want the veggies getting too mushy.
3. Remove from heat and let cool. Meanwhile combine the tuna, gluten-free bread crumbs, egg, flaxseed meal, and spices in a large bowl.
4. Drain any excess moisture from the vegetables and add them into the tuna mixture, stirring until thoroughly combined.
5. Shape into six 4″ patties.
6. In the same skillet you used for the veggies, heat 1-2 tsp olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Carefully transfer the veggie patties into the pan, cooking two at a time for about 3 minutes per side until lightly browned, adding more olive oil as needed.
7. Remove from heat and serve with avocado slices and yogurt sauce, below.

Goat Yogurt Sauce

• 1/2 cup Capretta plain nonfat goat yogurt
• 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Serve each patty topped with a generous tablespoon and enjoy!

How do you feel about “beefless” burgers? Let me know in the comments below!

Lemon Garlic Chicken with Spring Vegetables

After doing a lot of reading on the topic and hearing some opinions, I decided to try organic free-range chicken. After all, any antibiotics, growth hormones, or animal byproducts that chicken consumes are also being consumed by you. It is pricey, yes, but Trader Joe’s had a deal for 2 breasts and 4 legs at $2.99/pound so I figured I’d give it a shot.

I wanted to let the flavors of the meat come through with a simple preparation. I decided on lemon and garlic mixed with olive oil and stuffed it under the skin of the chicken while it cooked to lock in moisture and add a good amount of flavor. The result was delicious, and I will definitely be buying organic chicken in the future as I felt the meat itself had a much better texture and flavor than the “regular” stuff, though the free-range part my have to take a backseat until my wallet gets fatter (sorry chickens!). I paired the chicken with Martha Stewart’s Sauteed Spring Vegetables, an eternal favorite especially when made with veggies straight from the famers market (recipe here). I also added a sweet potato baked at 350° for 45 minutes.

This recipe is:
• Gluten-free
• Dairy-free
• Soy-free
• Refined sugar-free
• Nut-free

Lemon Garlic Chicken

Ingredients:
• 2 lbs organic free-range chicken, skin on
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced, about 1/8″
• juice of 2 small lemons
• salt and pepper, to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350°F with the rack in the center. Combine all ingredients (except chicken) in a bowl, mixing until well-combined.
2. Place chicken in a 13×9 roasting pan or other large baking dish. Gently find the open end of the chicken skin. Using a small spatula (or your fingers… no metal here) gently rub garlic mixture under the skin and onto the meat. Repeat on all pieces, evenly distributing all of the garlic mix amongst the chicken until there is none left.
3. Place the lemon slices under the chicken skin, taking care to keep the skin in tact.
4. Place the chicken in the oven and cook for 15-25 minutes, until juices run clear when sliced. The cook time will depend on the size of the pieces, so you may need to remove the smaller ones (legs) first and leave the larger ones (breasts) to cook a bit longer.
5. Remove the skin and serve with lemon slices on top.

Have you tried organic and/or free-range chicken before? What were your thoughts? Let me know in the comments below!