Parties and BBQs with friends and family will be had. Days are still getting longer and evenings are getting warmer which makes for perfect outdoor dining. And, it’ll now also be socially acceptable to wear white pants – I won’t be taking advantage of that because I ruin anything white. Anyone who can explain where that rule came from will win my adoration forever.

In case you need some party-dish inspiration for the weekend ahead, I’ve pulled together some of my favorite summertime recipes in one place. See, I love ya! Leave a comment and tell me what YOUR favorite summer party take-along dish is.

Drinks

• Coconut water with frozen berries
• Seltzer water with lime and olive garnish
• Watermelon Slush

Appetizers / Snacks

• Orange Ginger Chicken Wings
• Pineapple Bacon Poppers
• BLT Bites with Chipotle Mayo

Salads / Side-Dishes

• Watermelon Mojito Salad
• Green Papaya Salad
• Will’s Yam Fries
• Holy Gaucamole Salad
• Jicama Carrot Slaw

Meat

• Honey Mustard Crock Pot Spare Ribs
• Paleo Banh Mi Sliders
• Grilled Rack of Lamb

Desserts

• Fried Plantains with Cinnamon
• Caramelized Figs
• Banana Ice Cream with Chocolate Shell

To make a long story short, with parties and Memorial Day gatherings in the near future, this refreshing slaw is a great side dish to bring with. You could also add shredded cabbage for a more traditional take on slaw.

Prep time: 15 min     Cook time: 0 min    Makes: ~2 cups

Ingredients:

• 1 cup carrots, shredded
• 1 cup jicama, shredded
• 2 Tbsp chipotle mayo
• 3 Tbsp chopped cilantro
• Juice of 1/2 a lime
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Use a box grater or a food processor with a shredder blade to shred the carrots and jicama. Bonus tip: buy pre-shredded carrots to save time (though they are usually more expensive).
2. Combine the shredded carrots and jicama in a large bowl. Add the chipotle mayo, cilantro, and lime juice.
3. Stir until combined well. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Chill for best flavor.

I love fermented foods – I make my own sauerkraut and plan to start making kimchi – and it makes me feel kind of off the grid. Recently, I decided that I’d had enough of spending $4 for a bottle of GT’s. It was high time to get a SCOBY and start fermenting. For those new to kombucha brewing, a SCOBY is a magical symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast which gobble up (ferment) the sugar, metabolizing it into the slightly carbonated, tangy drink that’s rich with probiotics and beneficial acids. In reality, it looks like a pale, weird, flat pancake and sort of like a science experiment.

I used this kombucha recipe from Balanced Bites to get started, and then created my own flavor combinations for the second fermentation (to make more carbonation). I came up with ginger-mango and blueberry-raspberry…ummm, both came out freaking delicious! Since I’m all about stupid-easy stuff, I made a fruit puree (directions below) and froze it in ice cube trays so that I could add it exactly when my kombucha was ready – which happened to be during the week when I was uber-busy. I ended up with *almost* four full 32 oz jars of kombucha (one ginger-mango, two blueberry-raspberry and half a jar of plain). Why not four? You have to reserve at least a cup of kombucha out of each batch to get the next started.

Overall, I was psyched at how easy this was to do at home, and I’m alreadyplanning to expand my little operation so I can double or triple my production. Bottom line: you’ll have to experiment to see how long each step of process will take based on the conditions in your home and your own tastebuds. If the kombucha is too sour, you can add more sugar and keep the fermentation going, but that just delays the process. For troubleshooting the process or to find a SCOBY, a quick search of The Google will give you a bevy of info.

Basic Ingredients for Unflavored Kombucha Tea (KT):

• 1 SCOBY
• 8 green tea bags (I used organic)
• 1 cup sugar (I used organic granulated white sugar)
• 1 gallon of water
• 1 gallon mason jar
• 1 old t-shirt

Directions for Unflavored KT (I followed the specific instructions on Balanced Bites):

1. Boil 64 oz of water (8 cups) in a large pot.
2. Add 8 green tea bags and allow to steep for 20 minutes. Remove the tea bags.
3. Add 1 cup of sugar and stir well.
4. Allow the tea to come to room temperature and pour into a clean one-gallon mason jar or crock.
5. Add 64 oz more water to the jar and place the SCOBY (along with any KT it came with) into the jar.
6. Cover with a piece of old t-shirt, and secure with a rubber band.
7. Allow to ferment in a dark place (mine was in the pantry) for 7-14 days. Mine was ready after 8, but I live in Southern California, and it’s been warm lately. The fermentation time will vary depending on your location, your SCOBY and how sweet or sour you want the KT. Sample by moving the SCOBY aside and taking a little out with a clean spoon. After this time, your tea may be slightly carbonated and will be unflavored (only tea-flavored). You may drink it then or to do a second fermentation with different fruits for flavor and more carbonation.

For Ginger-Mango KT:

• 1 cup of fresh or frozen mango
• 1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled

1. Puree the mango and ginger (defrost if frozen) in a blender, Vitamix or food processor. Or, you can grate the ginger with a microplane if your blender isn’t very strong.
2. Spoon the mixture into an ice cube tray. Freeze until solid.
3. Two cubes will be ~1/4 cup of fruit puree.
4. After your unflavored KT is done fermenting, transfer it to a 32 oz mason jar. Add two cubes or 1/4 cup of ginger-mango puree. Close the lid and allow to ferment again from 3-7 days – again, it depends on your taste. You may want more or less ginger-mango puree or more or less carbonation. Mine took 3 days until I thought it was perfect.
5. Keep the extra cubes frozen for your next batch.

Ingredients for Blueberry-Raspberry KT:

• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
• 1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries

1. In a small saucepan, heat the berries over medium heat until they have released their juices.
2. I lightly pureed them in the Vitamix and then strained them through a fine mesh strainer to remove the seeds. You could also mash them with a fork and then strain them.
3. Spoon the mixture into an ice cube tray. Freeze until solid.
4. Two cubes will be ~1/4 cup of fruit puree.
5. After your unflavored KT is done fermenting, transfer it to a 32 oz mason jar. Add two cubes or 1/4 cup of blueberry-raspberry puree. Close the lid and allow to ferment again from 3-7 days – again, it depends on your taste. You may want more or less blueberry-raspberry puree or more or less carbonation. Mine took 3 days until I thought it was perfect.
6. Keep the extra cubes frozen for your next batch.

Now, for the details.

The best way to describe Epic Bars is like tasty, meaty bars with a hint of fruit for sweetness and nuts for crunch and texture. It reminded me of taking what I love about jerky packs – the meat, fruit and nut trinity – and rolling it all into one convenient, hand-held option.

Besides using high quality meats – 100% grassfed beef and bison for example – Epic Bars have made a conscious effort to make these bars perfect for the Paleo crowd with minimally-processed ingredients: the bacon used in the bison bar has no nitrates / nitrites added, for example. As you’d come to expect, they are free of dairy, gluten and grains as well. Win. Each bar has at least 11 grams of protein, a good dose of healthy fat and is pretty low in carbs. No funky whey protein isolates or frankenfood here.

Okay, so how do they taste?

Really damn good.

What impressed me the most is how distinct the flavors are…there’s nothing worse than picking up bars of different varieties only to find that they taste pretty much the same (Lara Bars and 50 Shades of Dates, anyone?).

Thankfully, with Epic Bars, that wasn’t the case. Bison with Bacon + Cranberry is decidedly smoky with a hint of barbeque flavor. The Beef with Habanero + Cherry has a just the right bit of spice from the peppers. Finally, I think my favorite was Turkey with Almond + Cranberry because it’s spiced with warm notes of cumin and coriander. The flavors are wisely put together and well-balanced.

Check out the map to find a retailer near you or simply order them from the Epic Bars website directly.

Now if every convenience store in America starts to carry these, THAT would be amazing!!

I base my recipe on this one from Melissa Joulwan of The Clothes Make the Girl and add my own twist. I only used one chipotle…feel free to add another one but beware: chipotles are HOT. Taste after you add one and decide if it needs another. That being said, one gives my taste buds the perfect amount of smoky heat. YUM.

You can also omit the lime for straight up chipotle mayo.

Prep time: 10 min     Cook time: 0 min    Makes: 1 cup

Ingredients:

• 1 cup olive oil mayo
• 1 chipotle pepper
• 1 tsp of adobo sauce from the chipotle pepper can
• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice

Directions:

1. In a food processor or blender, combine all the ingredients and blitz until smooth.
2. I put mine in a fun squeeze bottle because it just looks cooler when I serve it up on my food.
3. Goes well on pretty much everything, like these BLT Bites. Bacon and chipotle are like soul mates.

What resulted was nothing short of the tastiest thing I’d put in my mouth in a long while.

I used mini muffin tins* but you could use regular tins and end up with something bigger than bite-sized. These little morsels were the perfect size for finger food and would be fun party eats. You can make as few or as many as you’d like…it’s really up to you. Depending upon the bacon you use – how thick it’s cut, how wide the pieces are, etc – you may have to adjust your layering technique or the cooking time. Bottom line…have fun with it!

Prep time: 10 min     Cook time: 30 min    Makes: 4 pieces

Ingredients:

• 4 pieces of good-quality bacon (I used Niman Ranch)
• Coconut oil
• 1 tomato
• 1 cup chopped lettuce of your choice
• Chipotle mayo for topping
• *You will need 2 muffin tins for this recipe

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven t0 350F (175C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.
2. Grease the bottom of one muffin tin and the inside of the cups of the other with a thin layer of coconut oil. Start with one muffin tin upside down.
3. Cut each strip of bacon in half (again, it depends on the size of the bacon…remember that it’ll shrink when cooked so some overhang is okay). On one of the inverted cups, cross the bacon pieces, one on top of the other. Repeat until you’ve used up all the bacon. See the gallery for a photo.
4. Now place the other muffin tin on top of the bacon and press down firmly. I weighted mine down with a cast iron skillet.
5. Bake for about 20-25 minutes. Carefully remove the top muffin tin and bake for 5 more minutes or until the bacon cups are as crisp as you like them.
6. Let cool and then fill each one with tomato and lettuce and a drizzle of chipotle mayo!

The only problem is that I didn’t have lemongrass or Thai chili paste that most of the recipes I looked at called for, so I thought…I’m going to solutionize (yes, that’s a made up word) this scenario. I omitted the lemongrass but doubled the lime juice and used sriracha instead of red chili paste. In 5 minutes – plus the time it took me to peel and devein the shrimp – I had a hot, yummy bowl of tom kha in my hands! It might not be 100% authentic but it is 1) easy, 2) fast and 3) a damn good recreation.

Prep time: 5 min     Cook time: 10 min    Makes: ~4 cups

Ingredients:

• 14 oz can full-fat coconut milk
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 lb (500 g) shrimp or chicken breast
• 1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and sliced into rounds
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 2 Tbsp lime juice
• 1 Tbsp fish sauce (I like Red Boat)
• 1 tsp sriracha (or red chili paste)
• Chopped cilantro for garnish

Directions:

1. Prepare the shrimp by peeling and deveining if not already done prior to purchase. If using chicken, clean the chicken of any connective tissue and cut into small chunks.
2. In a pot over medium heat, combine the coconut milk, chicken stock and ginger. Bring the liquid to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer.
3. Add the shrimp or chicken, mushrooms, lime juice, fish sauce and sriracha. Simmer until the shrimp (less than 5 min) or the chicken (5-10 minutes) is cooked through.
4. Top with fresh chopped cilantro for garnish.

My amazing Australian pen pal (yes, I have a pen pal) Georgia sent me the most thoughtful care package last week, and inside was a super tasty brown mustard. I thought there was no better way to enjoy it then to make a sweet and spicy honey mustard glaze for the ribs. The ribs came out so tender.

Do you have not as much time to cook as you’d like? You’re not alone. Okay, now go and order yourself a crock pot if you don’t already have one (I recommend one with a digital timer and keep warm function) and make this recipe. Smile and enjoy your tasty meal knowing that it basically cooked itself. This recipe is a mashup between two non-Paleo one’s from Rachel Ray and the White On Rice Couple. I adapted them and put them together. Voila! This batch of ribs was relatively small (1.5 lb of meat) because, well, I’m a single person. Double your recipe (or more) depending on how many people you’re serving.

Prep time: 15 min     Cook time: 6 hours    Makes: 1.5 lb of ribs

Ingredients:

For the ribs:

• 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce (look for gluten free options, I used Lea & Perrins)
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 2 tsp brown mustard
• 1 tsp hot sauce
• 1 cup broth, any kind
• 1-inch piece of ginger, peeled
• 1 star anise
• 1.5 lb (700g) of spare ribs, pork or beef

For the honey-mustard glaze:

• 1/4 cup mustard, any kind (I used brown)
• 2 Tbsp water
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp coconut aminos
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• Black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Prepare the braising liquid for the ribs by combining the balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, honey, mustard, hot sauce, and broth in a small bowl. 
2. Put the ribs in the crock pot. Cut to fit, if needed. Pour the braising liquid over and drop in the ginger and star anise.
3. Cover, set to low, and cook for 6 hours. I flipped the ribs over once during cooking.
4. For the sauce, combine the ingredients in a small saucepan and simmer over low heat until it has reduced / thickened a bit. Stir often.
5. I kept it simple by removing the ribs from the crock pot (gently because they will probably fall apart) and basting them with the honey mustard sauce. I served with extra sauce on the side for dipping.
6. NOMS.

I made a version of this salad the other day, and it was so punchy with flavor that I had to make it again. And then it hit me! The colors are red, white and green and most of the ingredients are common to Mexican cuisine. In celebration of the Fifth of May, the Battle of Puebla and the love of drinking fermented agave, I bring you this festive salad. Substitute any cooked meat you’d like if you don’t like steak. I topped mine with a pan-fried grassfed New York strip steak sliced thin.

Prep time: 5 min     Cook time: 10 min    Makes: 2-3 cups of salad (plus meat)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup spinach leaves
• 1 ripe tomato, cubed
• 1/2 cup jicama, cubed
• 1/2 an avocado, cubed
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• Juice of 1-2 limes
• 1 tsp Kasandrinos Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Combine the spinach, tomato, jicama, avocado and cilantro in a bowl. Squeeze the lime juice on top and drizzle with olive oil. 
2. Taste and season with salt and pepper if you like.
3. Top with cooked meat of choice. I used steak, but grilled chicken would be a great alternative!

Note: I earn a small commission if you use the links in this post to purchase the products I’ve featured. I personally use and believe in the products I recommend.

Prep time: 10 min     Cook time: 0 min    Makes: 5 cups

Ingredients:

• 3 cups seedless watermelon, cubed
• 1.5 cups seedless cucumber, cubed
• 2 Tbsp fresh mint leaves, sliced thin (“chiffonade” if we’re being fancy about it)
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
• Zest from two limes
• 1 Tbsp Kasandrinos Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Pinch of sea salt
• Pinch of black pepper

Directions:

1. Cut the rind off the watermelon and cut into medium-sized cubes (about 1/2-inch).
2. Peel the cucumber – if you prefer – and cut into similar sized cubes.
3. Slice the mint leaves thinly. To chiffonade, stack the leaves on top of each other. Roll them up lengthwise into a bundle, then thinly slice.
4. Combine these ingredients in a large bowl.
5. In a smaller bowl or a small jar, combine the lime juice, lime zest, olive oil, salt and pepper. Stir (or shake) well to combine. Pour over the watermelon and cucumber and stir well.

When I was in Scotland, it became pretty clear that getting Paleo-friendly snacks on the go was as easy as it is here in the States. Read: virtually impossible. Craig and I were in Tesco or Sainsbury’s (Tesbury’s?) when he chucked a couple of these my way. A quick scan of the ingredients revealed nothing offensive…just a simple quartet of dates, cocoa, orange and almonds. Now, who knows if the orange is just orange flavoring or not, but they seemed pretty benign. Recently, though, I endeavored to recreate this treat, and I think the outcome is even better than the original. They’re kinda sorta Lara bar-y but better, I think. I’d file these under the “treat” category since they are high in natural sugar from the dates. Definitely not ideal for the Whole30 crowd, but an occasional indulgence for the rest of you.

Disclaimer: you’ll either need a food processor or the patience of a saint (if you chop the ingredients by hand) to make these.

Prep time: 15 min     Freeze time: 20 min    Makes: 8″ x 8″ pan

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups of nuts (I used 1 cup almonds + 1/2 cup macadamia…baller status, I know. Use whatever you like or is on hand.)
• 20 Medjool dates (these are the big, fat, squishy ones)
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• Zest of one large orange
• 1 Tbsp orange juice
• Pinch of sea salt

Directions:

1. Line an 8″ x 8″ baking dish with plastic wrap or wax paper. Set aside.
2. Add the nuts to the food processor and pulse down until they become small, crumbly bits. Don’t let it go too long or it will become nut butter – er, not that there’s anything wrong with that but it won’t help this recipe. Some pieces may be a bit bigger and some might be tiny. That’s okay. Pour the nuts in a large bowl.
3. Now, pit the dates and put them in the food processor. Pulse about 5 times until they are slightly broken down.
4. Add the cocoa powder, orange zest, orange juice and sea salt.
5. Process until the dates form a huge chocolatey ball.
6. Now, with clean hands: add the chocolatey dates to the nuts and combine both together. You’ll have to knead pretty well but keep at it.
7. Once all the nuts are blended in, you’ll take the lump of deliciousness and put it in the baking dish. Press the mixture into the dish until it’s packed down and smooth.
8. Freeze for 20 minutes until firm.
9. Turn out the mixture onto a cutting board and chop into pieces as big or small as you’d like. I usually make 12 bars from one dish.
10. I individually wrap them. They can be frozen for a couple months if packed to withstand freezer burn. If not, store in the fridge for short term use.

Open Spaces braised brisket with roasted butternut and greens

Go ahead. I’ll wait as you wipe the drool off your keyboard.

If you’re in California, this daydream can actually be a reality, and Pete’s Paleo – owned by Pete and Sarah Servold – is the company making it happen. They ship all over the state or deliver to different local businesses here in the San Diego area. For those of you outside California, don’t despair! Pete’s is planning to expand into a national program soon. Score! Watch their website for more details, and get on their mailing list.

Back to the food…and let me tell you, it’s delicious. Ever since Pete’s started offering delivery to Invictus Fitness, the CrossFit gym I train at, I’d been curious about ordering. I love to cook and create recipes of my own, but sometimes even I need a break! Having someone cook for me – especially awesome Paleo food – is rare, so I decided to treat myself with an order from Pete’s. That’s right…some girls pamper themselves with new clothes or a mani-pedi, but I do it with food! It couldn’t be easier to order: after a few clicks on their site, my order was placed and all I had to do was wait. Pete’s lets you customize your order by selecting the number of meals (5 or 10 plus snacks), or adding extra veggies or protein for an additional charge.

Roasted abodabo chicken with asparagus and country yams

I excitedly opened my order on Thursday to find the drool-worthy menu and neatly labeled individual bags with tasty bites tucked  inside. Each component – meat, veggies and snacks – is separately packed in vacuum-sealed pouches to keep it fresh and can be frozen as well…ultra-convenient if you are going out of town or want to stock up.

Pete’s weekly menu complete with inspirational quote

All neatly packed and labeled

Individually sealed components

Even though I love to cook, I often find myself rotating through the same meats and veggies. Hello, food rut! One of the things I appreciated the most about Pete’s was the variety: grass-fed beef; chicken, duck and turkey; pork and lamb; game meat like elk and bison; and seafood all make their way onto the menu. Produce is no different with a wide array that is mindful of seasonality and freshness.

Persian spiced pork cheeks with spinach and Susie’s Farms spring mix

Jidori chicken breast stir fry with carrots, snap peas and roasted squash

Not only that, but Pete’s culinary training clearly shines through in the masterful combination of flavors, perfectly adjusted seasonings and well-executed cooking techniques – all the meats were fork tender and succulent, for example. Perhaps the crown jewel in Pete’s menu is his sugar and nitrate/nitrite-free bacon. I know, I know…many of you will claim allegiance to other brands or suppliers but I must say, I’ve never had any quite like this. It was perfectly seasoned and subtly smoky and rendered so the fat layers were light and crispy. Heaven.

Pete’s bacon on top of my slow-cooked scrambled eggs

Mmmmm. Now I’m hungry again.

Definitely go check out Pete’s Paleo’s site. I dare your mouth not to water!

Before we dive into this recipe, let’s learn a little bit about this misunderstood vegetable: broccoli rabe (pronounced like “rob”) isn’t actually broccoli at all! Rather, it’s closely related to mustard greens. It’s also commonly called rapini in Italian cuisine. So confusing, right? I saw broccoli rabe hiding among the other greens in the organic section of the market and couldn’t resist the urge to try something new. My curiosity was rewarded because it was damn tasty!

This unassuming veggie can be bitter but when blanched – boiled quickly and then plunged into icy cold water – the unappealing bitterness is removed. If you can’t find broccoli rabe, or if you’re just too chicken to try something new, you can substitute it with virtually any dark leafy green like swiss chard, mustard greens or spinach (no need to blanch those options).

Prep time: 5 min     Cook time: 10 min    Makes: 2 cups

Ingredients:

• 1 large bunch (about 1 lb. / 500 g) of broccoli rabe (rapini)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp chopped pistachio nuts
• 2 tbsp dried currants
• 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1/2 cup chicken stock (or water)
• Kasandrinos Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Sea salt, to taste

Directions:

1. Boil a large pot of water. Set up a large bowl filled with ice water.
2. While the water comes to a boil, trim the ends off the broccoli rabe and chop into wide strips, mince the garlic and chop the pistachios.
3. Blanch the broccoli rabe in boiling water for 2 minutes. Immediately transfer to the ice water and allow to cool for a few minutes. Drain.
4. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and add a glug of olive oil. Saute the garlic, pistachios, currants and red pepper flakes for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
5. Add the drained broccoli rabe and chicken stock, cooking for 3-4 more minutes or until the stems are tender. Adjust the seasoning with sea salt if necessary.

I *did* add a dash of pure maple syrup as a finishing touch, but please feel free to omit if you’re on a Whole30, 21 Day Sugar Detox or similar. One way to speed this dish’s prep time is to shred a few sweet potatoes and store them in the fridge. I used a shredding blade on my food processor but you could use a box grater or even dice them very finely by hand. I prefer to cook my bacon separately; instead, you could render the chopped bacon and then use that fat to fry the potatoes. Ghee makes it taste better to me so that’s what I use instead.

Prep time: 10 min     Cook time: 10 min    Makes: 2 cups

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of shredded sweet potato or yams
• 1/2 of an apple, chopped
• 3 pieces of bacon, chopped (I like Applegate Farms)
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp pure maple syrup, optional
• Sea salt to taste
• Ghee, bacon fat or fat of choice

Directions:

1. In a skillet over medium heat, render / cook the bacon until it’s crispy. You can save the fat to cook the rest of the ingredients or pour off the fat and start over with a spoonful of ghee, coconut oil, etc. 
2. Add the sweet potato to the pan, cooking on medium heat until they begin to get golden brown.
3. Add the apples and stir until they soften, about 3-4 minutes.
4. Season with the maple syrup, cinnamon and sea salt, to taste.

Bonus: For a one-skillet meal, remove the hash to a plate, then quickly wilt some spinach. Remove the spinach to the same plate, then fry or scramble eggs in the same pan.

As one of my readers pointed out, this dish is popular in Caribbean cuisine and is often called pinon or pastelon. The plantains and currants add a bit of sweetness which is balanced by the olives and vinegar. Okay, my mouth just watered writing that. If you want to make this, be sure to plan ahead and check what the plantains at your market look like – here they are always super green. You’ll want slightly ripe plantains for this recipe: they should yield gently to pressure and have greenish, yellow skin with some dark spots. If you can’t find achiote powder, paprika is a good substitute.

Prep time: 30 min     Cook time: 1 hour    Makes: 8″ x 8″ dish

Ingredients:

• 1 lb (500 g) grass-fed ground beef
• 1/3 cup diced red pepper
• 1/2 of an onion, diced
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 oz can diced mild green chilis
• 1 cup fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 1/4 cup canned tomato sauce
• 2 Tbsp dried currants (or raisins)
• 2 Tbsp chopped olives (green or black)
• 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp achiote or paprika
• 4 large slightly-ripe plantains (some yellow, some dark spots)
• Coconut oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp water
• Chopped cilantro for garnish, optional

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F (175C). Grease the inside of an 8″ x 8″ glass dish with coconut oil and set aside.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the ground beef completely. Lower the heat and to the same skillet, add the red pepper, onion and bay leaf. Cook for 4-5 minutes until the veggies are softened.
3. Add the green chilis, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, currants, olives, apple cider vinegar, paprika, salt and pepper. Stir to combine and simmer for 5 more minutes. Remove the bay leaf.
4. Peel and slice the plantains into 1/3″ diagonal pieces. To peel, cut off both ends and slice through the skin lengthwise, then peel off in sections. If any skin remains, trim it off with a knife.
5. In another skillet (I like cast iron for this task) over medium heat, add a couple tablespoons of coconut oil and begin to brown the plantains in a single layer, about 2 minutes per side. You’ll have to do this a few times until all the plantains are golden brown. Caution: if you walk away or get distracted, these will easily burn. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
6. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs and water.
7. Now you’re ready to assemble the pie: in the bottom of the dish, pour half of the egg mixture. Place plantains in a single layer on top of the egg. Spread half the meat/veggie mixture on top. Add another layer of plantains. Add the rest of the meat/veggie mixture. Top with one final layer of plantains. Pour the rest of the egg mixture on top. [To summarize: egg - plantain - meat - plantain - meat - plantain -egg].
8. Bake for 1 hour and let sit for 10 minutes before you slice into the pie.
9. Nosh.

Trying to live a more simple life in terms what I put in my body is nothing new to me, but recently I’ve been thinking more and more about what I put ON my body. Between hair care, dental hygiene, all sorts of lotions and potions and the few make-up products I use, I realized I’ve been slathering my skin with all sorts of chemicals. Cave Girl Eats creator Liz Wolfe came out with a comprehensive Skintervention Guide – a how-to for all things Paleo and skin care – not too long ago, so I decided to get a copy for myself.

While I’m no stranger to trying a few of the methods in the guide, there was a metric ton of information that was new to me. Liz does a great job of communicating that most of what we put on our skin ends up getting absorbed into the body and the myriad chemicals in our cosmetics are chock full of nasties (endocrine disruptors are just one that comes to mind). Being a bio major in college and a self-professed science geek, this wasn’t a huge surprise, but what to do about it is where I gained the most value. I clicked through the guide fervently and focused in on a couple of changes I knew I wanted to make right away – using the oil cleansing method to wash my face, switching to a coconut oil / baking soda deodorant, making another attempt at baking soda / apple cider vinegar for hair washing and using a nourishing balm nightly on my face.

Then it hit me.

Almost a year ago, I’d purchased a pound of grass-fed beef tallow from US Wellness Meats, thrown it in the freezer and forgotten about it. Okay, that’s a lie. I hand’t forgotten about it. In fact, every time I’d open the freezer, I would see it sitting there, mocking me for not having found a use for it yet. A quick Google search landed me a simple formula for making tallow balm, and I was off to the kitchen to make it.

Luck has it that the recipe to make the balm also called for olive oil to help with a smoother texture. I just so happen to have a huge jug of high-quality Kasandrinos Extra Virgin Olive Oil in my pantry, the perfect addition to the balm. Kasandrinos uses no chemical methods to press their oil and does not use any other oils as fillers, a common and shady practice that goes on in the olive oil business these days.

The tallow balm makes my skin super soft, and keeps it well-hydrated throughout the day without feeling greasy!

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup* grass-fed tallow (beef lard)
• 2.5 tsp olive oil (I used Kasandrinos)
• 2-3 drops of essential oil (I used lavender)

Directions:

1. Melt the tallow in the microwave in a glass container. I used a small mason jar.
2. Stir in the olive oil and essential oil.
3. Refrigerate, uncovered, until the balm hardens.
4. Remove from the refrigerator and store tightly. After I clean my face at night, I apply a thin layer as a moisturizer.

*The approximate ratio of tallow to olive oil I used was 8:1.

For each level of doneness, you’ll touch a finger to your thumb. Keep your hand relaxed. Then, using the opposite hand, poke the fleshy part at the base of your thumb. Feel that? That’s how a cut of meat would feel if you poked it with your finger when it’s cooked to that point. See, easy!

For rare, touch index finger to thumb. Do the poke test. That’s what rare meat feels like.

For medium-rare, touch middle finger to thumb.

For medium, touch ring finger to thumb.

For medium-well, touch pinkie to thumb.

Last but not least, for well-done (if you’re cooking well-done steak, we need to have a chat :) ), open your hand and poke the center of your palm.

For chicken or pork (where generally, well-done is the way to go), use the open palm test.

Try it and let me know what you think in the comments!

The hardest part about making this dish is getting the consistency of the sauce just right. Too thick and it’ll be gummy or leave the dish too dry. Too thin and it’ll be a runny mess. I used three techniques to thicken my sauce: 1) reduction – slowly simmering the sauce until some of the water was driven off from the coconut milk; 2) arrowroot powder – a similar thickening agent to cornstarch; and 3) cold butter added at the end. If you don’t eat butter, just leave it out.

This dish is definitely a once in a while treat since it’s pretty calorically dense, but it really hit the spot!

Prep time: 5 min     Cook time: 45 min    Makes: 13″ x 9″ dish

Ingredients:

• 1-2 large yellow sweet potatoes (~5 cups shredded)
• 13.5 oz  (400 mL) can of full fat coconut milk
• 2 Tbsp minced shallot (or onion)
• 3 Tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp mustard powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp arrowroot powder
• 1 Tbsp butter, optional
• 2-3 Tbsp ground almonds

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F (175C). Grease the bottom and sides of a 13″ x 9″ baking dish with coconut oil or your fat of choice. Set aside.
2. Peel and shred the sweet potatoes using a food processor with shredder blade or a box grater. Set aside.
3. Mince the shallot very finely. You can use onion if you cannot find shallots.
4. In a heavy-bottomed pot over medium low heat, combine the coconut milk and shallots. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring often, until the coconut milk starts to reduce.
5. Whisk in the nutritional yeast, mustard powder, salt and paprika. Then add the arrowroot powder and whisk well until combined and slightly more thickened. Finish by whisking in about a tablespoon of cold butter (optional). Remove the sauce from the heat.
6. Add the potatoes to the baking dish and pour the sauce on top. Stir to combine. Top with ground almonds.
7. Bake for about 35 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and the sauce is bubbly. Turn on the broiler to high. Broil for about 5 minutes until the very top of the potatoes gets a bit crisp and browned – watch them so they don’t burn though!

Prep time: 10 min     Cook time: 0 min    Makes: ~3-4 cups

Ingredients:

• 14 oz can (400 g) artichoke hearts
• 1 medium bulb of fennel
• 1 large handful flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced sweet onion
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 Tbsp high quality olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Red pepper flakes, optional

Directions:

1. Drain the artichoke hearts and quarter them.
2. Trim the tops and bottom off the fennel. Cut it in half lengthwise and very thinly slice.
3. Chop the parsley.
4. Combine the artichoke hearts, fennel, parsley, onion, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper and a pinch of red pepper flakes in a bowl.
5. Eat right away or let it sit and marinate for about 30 minutes.

Prep time: 10 min     Cook time: 25 min

Ingredients:

• 1 very large bunch (or two 170 g bags) kale
• 1/3 cup (50 g) coconut butter or cashew butter
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 12 oz (350 mL)  jar roasted red bell peppers, drained
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2  tsp black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 325F (170F). Line two baking sheest with parchment paper (my preference…the kale will not stick) or foil.
2. Combine the nut butter, lemon juice, roasted red peppers, salt and pepper in a food processor or blender. It will make a paste which should be relatively thick.
3. Rinse the kale, and pat it dry. Remove the leaves from the tough stems.
4. Spread the kale on the baking sheet and pour the nut butter mixture on top. You’re going to need to use your hands to massage (hmm that sounds a little creepy) the nut butter into the leaves. You want them evenly coated. It’s important that the kale be spread in one even layer and overlaps as little as possible.
5. Bake for about 20 minutes, stirring once or twice. Keep an eye on the chips because they can burn quite quickly.  I usually rotate the pans at least once while baking. Alternatively, you can use a food dehydrator.
6. Consume.
7. Kale chips are best when eaten fresh from the oven but can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for a day or so before they get too soft.

Prep time: 5 min     Cook time: 20 min    Makes: ~3-4 cups

Ingredients: 

• 1 celery root (celeriac)
• 1 garlic clove, smashed
• 2 tsp dried sage or 1 tsp dried thyme
• ~1/4 cup stock* or water
• Coconut oil or fat of choice
• 2 Tbsp coconut cream or coconut butter
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Peel and dice the celery root into equal-sized pieces. They don’t have to be perfect, but evenly-diced cubes will cook more evenly.
2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the celery root in a spoonful of coconut oil. Season with the sage (or thyme) and salt & pepper.
3. Once the pieces are browned, add the garlic and stock (or water). Put a lid on the skillet and steam the celery root on medium-low heat until cooked through, about 15-20 more minutes. Check to make sure the veggies aren’t getting too dried out and add a bit more water if necessary.
4. Add the coconut cream and mash the celery root to the desired consistency. I left mine a bit chunky. Season with more salt and pepper if desired.
5. *I used part of a gluten-free, Paleo-friendly bullion cube mixed with water.

You’ll notice I used pancetta (basically Italian ham that is bacon-like in flavor) but you could use regular bacon or even lardons – ooh, fancy French term alert – which is another form of pork belly. Bonus points for the fact that pancetta or lardons usually comes pre-chopped! The bottom line is to use something bacon-esque for a smoky depth of flavor. If you can’t find pre-cooked mussel or clam meat, you can use whole shellfish – just be sure to double the amount – and just steam them in the broth until they open (or try shrimp instead).

Prep time: 5 min     Cook time: 10 min    Makes: 2-3 appetizer servings

Ingredients:

• 6 oz (180 g) pancetta
• 8 oz (240 g) cooked mussels or clams
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced finely
• 1.5 cup (350 mL) coconut milk
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, render the pancetta until crispy.
2. To the same skillet, add the mussels, garlic and coconut milk. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 6-8 minutes or until the coconut milk begins to reduce down just a bit.
3. Turn off the heat and add the lemon juice, parsley and pepper.
4. Done. Eat. Receive compliments.

Prep time: 5 min     Cook time: 5 min    Makes: 4 figs

Ingredients:

• 4 fresh, ripe figs (mission, black, brown turkey, etc.)
• 1 spoonful of ghee or coconut oil
• Cinnamon for sprinkling
• Good quality dark chocolate for shaving on top, optional (I used 90% dark chocolate)

Directions:

1. Wash the figs. Cut the stem end off and then slice in half.
2. In a skillet over medium-high heat, melt the ghee or coconut oil. When hot, cook the figs 1-2 minutes on each side or until they begin to caramelize. 
3. Remove from the pan sprinkle with cinnamon and dark chocolate shavings.

I know – le sigh.

However, if you’re willing to put that aside, this recipe is pretty awesome and will get you close to a lasagna-like dish without any gluten or dairy. Win! I’m currently back in Scotland visiting, and a trip to the local Tesco to get ingredients left me with zero options for pre-made sauce that did not contain any excess sugar, so I looked around and gathered some staples to make my own. If you can find a clean pasta sauce, by all means go ahead and use that which means you’ll save time and omit the tomato sauce, paste, and oregano. I also used lean ground pork, but beef or lamb or a combo of different meats would be tasty as well.

Prep time: 20 min     Cook time: 30 min    Makes: 6-8 servings, one 13″ x 9″ dish or two 9″ round dishes

Ingredients:

• 2 medium or 1 large butternut squash
• 1 pound (500 g) lean ground beef or pork
• ~36 oz canned tomato sauce (1000 g Italian passata for my UK friends)
• 4 oz (100 g) tomato paste
• 1 onion, diced finely
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup sliced olives
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 4 eggs, beaten
• Salt & pepper
• Coconut oil or fat of choice

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400F (200C).
2. In a large pot over medium heat, sauté the diced onion in a spoonful of coconut oil until it’s softened, about 5 minutes. Add the pork, garlic and oregano and raise the heat to medium-high. Saute until the pork is cooked through.
3. Add the olives, tomato sauce and paste. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Turn heat to low and simmer while you prepare the squash. [Note: this makes a tasty meat sauce all on its own or for use in other recipes.]
4. Peel the butternut squash. Slice into very thin rounds by laying the squash on a cutting board. I tried to make mine about 1/8″ thick. The key is to make the slices as uniform as possible so they cook evenly. You could also use a mandolin to make them evenly sized. Be sure you have a sharp knife! Other recipes call for the squash to be sliced lengthwise into long sheets but this is very hard to do with a knife. The rounds enable quicker prep time and the result is just as tasty.
5. Now it’s time to prepare the lasagna: start with a bit of sauce to cover the bottom of the dish. Then place the squash in a single layer (I used small pieces from the bottom of the squash, which I had to cut into half moons to remove the seeds, to fill in the gaps between the rounds). Now add another layer of sauce. Don’t skimp because the moisture from the sauce is what cooks the squash. Now add about 1/3 of the scrambled egg and smear it around. It will look gross. Stay the path. It’s going to taste awesome and gives the appearance of cheese.
6. Repeat the squash-sauce-egg sequence one or two more times, depending on how much you have left (I used two 9″ round pans so each ended up with two layers).
7. Finish with a light layer of sauce. I also used up some of the extra pieces of squash as decoration. Fancy :)
8. Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until a knife easily pierces the squash.

Prep time: 5 min     Cook time: 10 min    Makes: 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs
• 2-3 tbsp heavy whipping cream
• Pinch of salt and pepper
• Coconut oil, ghee or fat of choice

Directions:

1. Combine the eggs, heavy whipping cream and salt & pepper. Whisk well until everything is combined.
2. In a small skillet over LOW heat (use the smallest burner on your stove), melt the coconut oil. Dump in the egg mixture.
3. Now…here’s where you have to be patient. Continuously stir the eggs around the pan using a spatula. It will take several minutes for the eggs to cook. You may have the urge to up the heat and get the process over with. Resist. The. Urge.
4. After several minutes (mine took ~8 minutes), the eggs will be cooked through and very creamy instead of rubbery little lumps like normal scrambled eggs. Serve with a side of bacon for pure bliss.

*It’s hard to find heavy whipping cream without the additive carageenan. Even the organic brands tend to add it. Carageenan is used as a thickener derived from seaweed which sounds cool until you consider that it’s known to promote intestinal inflammation. Not cool. For those of us living near a Trader Joe’s, their organic heavy whipping cream is carageenan-free. Read your labels, folks :)

Prep time: 15 min     Cook time: 15 min    Makes: 2 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 skinless chicken breasts
• 8 0z (240 g) mixed salad greens, microgreens or spinach
• 1 red grapefruit
• 3 oranges
• 1 small bunch of fresh basil, sliced
• 1 pomegranate (or a small package of pomegranate arils)
• 1/4 cup walnuts
• 1 Tbsp orange zest
• 1 tsp grapefruit zest
• 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Poach the chicken breasts first. Place them in a small pot with the rind from one orange and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a very low simmer (barely bubbling), and cover. Cook for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and let sit for another 10 minutes. Remove the chicken and let cool.
2. Meanwhile, prepare the dressing by combining the juice of two oranges, orange zest, grapefruit zest, balsamic vinegar, olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper in a small bowl. Whisk to combine.
3. Arrange the salad with the mixed greens, basil, pomegranate, walnuts and supremes of grapefruit and orange. To make supremes – which are essentially wedges of citrus – cut the top and bottom off the fruit. Use a knife to remove the skin and white pith. Then, slice on each side of the citrus segment so that it comes away cleanly.
4. Slice the chicken and top the salad with it and a few spoonfuls of the dressing.

This one couldn’t be much easier!

Plantains are the larger, starchier relatives of bananas and can be eaten at any stage of ripeness…however, if they’re unripe, they’ll be very starchy like a potato and need to be cooked (boiled, fried, grilled, etc). In other words, don’t expect them to be sweet! If you’re willing to be patient and wait, plantains will eventually ripen and take on a sweeter flavor. The plantains I used had been sitting on my kitchen counter for almost 2 weeks. This is a very simple preparation but one that’s incredibly tasty.

Prep time: 2 min     Cook time: 5 min    Makes: 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 1 ripe plantain
• 1 tbsp ghee or coconut oil
• Cinnamon
• Sea salt

Directions:

1. Peel the plantain and slice into 1/4″ rounds. I like to cut mine on the bias (diagonal).
2. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high and add the ghee or coconut oil. Fry the plantains until golden brown, 2-3 minutes each side. Be careful because they’ll burn easily.
3. Remove from the heat and dust with cinnamon and a sprinkle of sea salt.
4. Easy peasy.

Prep time: 10 min     Cook time: 5 min    Makes: 1 pound

Ingredients:

• 1 pound (500 g) shrimp, any size, shelled and deveined
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup canned artichoke hearts, chopped
• 1-2 Tbsp capers
• Black pepper to taste
• Coconut oil or fat of choice

Directions:

1. Shell and devein the shrimp. Set aside.
2. Mince the garlic and chop up the artichoke hearts.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add a spoonful of coconut oil or your fat of choice. Saute the shrimp until it begins to turn opaque.
4. Add the garlic, artichokes and capers and continue cooking until the shrimp is cooked through.
5. Season with pepper to taste.
6. Eat!

If you want it sweetened a bit, you could add dates softened with boiling water and pureed, maple syrup, honey, etc. but I like mine on the plain side. Remember, for me this isn’t really about dessert.

Prep time: 15 min     Cook time: 5 min    Makes: 2 cups

Ingredients:

• 2.5 Tbsp dry tapioca pearls
• 3/4 cup water
• 3/4 cup full-fat coconut milk
• 1 egg, separated into white and yolk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1. In a small, heavy-bottomed  saucepan, combine the tapioca and water. Let it sit and soften without heating for 15-20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whip the egg white until it forms soft peaks. If you are sweetening the tapioca, you can add it to the egg whites when you whip them. Set aside.
3. Turn the heat on medium-low. Add the coconut milk and egg yolk to the softened tapioca and whisk well. Continue to whisk/stir until the tapioca thickens, about 3-4 minutes.
4. Turn the heat off and stir in the vanilla.  Fold the hot tapioca into the beaten egg white.
5. Eat warm or refrigerate.

I modified a recipe by the amazing Melissa Joulwan of Well Fed, and what I brought is the result. It looks a lot like curry rice…so realistic in fact that when I asked my pal Amy if she’d tried it, she said no because she’d thought it was real rice. The currants and cinnamon give a hint of sweet and spicy while the cilantro adds a nice fresh flavor. The batch easily doubles to serve more hungry bellies or just to have for leftovers. Pairs really well with chicken and shrimp.

Prep time: 10-15 min     Cook time: 15 min    Makes: 3-4 side dish servings

Ingredients:

• 1 head of cauliflower
• 1/4 of a fresh pineapple (or 1/2 cup unsweetened canned pineapple)
• 1/2 of an onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds
• 1/4 cup dried currants
• 1 Tbsp curry powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 large handful of cilantro
• Coconut oil or fat of choice
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Rice the cauliflower in a food processor. Set aside.
2. Dice the pineapple into small pieces (hint: big chunks are fine but cutting it to a smaller size is a bit more appealing visually).
3. Dice the onion and garlic finely. Chop the cilantro down.
4. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt a large spoonful of coconut oil.  Saute the onions until softened, about 5 minutes. Add in the garlic, almonds, currants, curry powder and cinnamon. Stir until combined well.
5. Increase the heat to medium-high, add another spoonful of coconut oil and dump in the cauliflower. Cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently, until it’s softened but not mushy.
6. Remove from the heat and stir in the pineapple and cilantro. Check flavor and add salt / pepper to taste.

Saute 1 sliced onion + 1 can of fire-roasted tomato + shredded rotisserie chicken*

Salad = greens + shredded purple cabbage + cilantro +  grape tomatoes + avocado + lime juice + olive oil + chicken/onion/tomato

*The rotisserie chicken is a time saver, but you could cook your own chicken separately.

When I was in high school anatomy & physiology class, we learned about the classic taste-smell experiment where someone with his or her nose blocked cannot tell the difference between eating an apple and an onion [Your olfactory / smell and gustatory / taste senses are intimately linked, as it turns out, hence the reason that a good head cold usually means you can't taste much. Science is so cool!]. Anyhow, when I was cooking up this easy side dish, I couldn’t help but think of the apple-onion experiment and how tasty the two would be together. This one comes together in less than 10 minutes and is a good way to use up cabbage that’s sort of wilted or apples that have gotten a bit soft. It was the perfect accompaniment to some delicious pan-fried pork chops.

Prep time: 5 min     Cook time: 10 min    Makes: 2 side-dish servings

Ingredients:

• 1/2 a small head of cabbage
• 1 onion
• 1 apple
• 1 tsp caraway seeds (optional)
• 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Spoonful of your fat of choice

Directions:

1. Slice the onion and apple into similar thickness pieces. Slice the cabbage into narrow ribbons.
2. Heat a skillet over medium heat and add a spoonful of your fat of choice.
3. Sauté the onion and apple – sprinkled with salt – until the onions are translucent and the apple softened, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the cabbage and sauté about 3 minutes more.
5. Drizzle the veggies with balsamic vinegar and cook for another few minutes until the vinegar has reduced a bit and everything is cooked through.
6. Season with caraway seeds, salt and pepper to taste.

Seared ahí tuna (sprinkled with ground ginger + sesame seeds) + salad (mixed greens, red pepper, green onion, carrots, mushrooms) + rice wine vinegar / olive oil / drizzle of coconut aminos + shredded nori on top

Sweet potatoes and avocado don’t normally sound like a perfect match, do they? Well, guess again!

It’s not a rarity these days for folks to throw recipe ideas my way and ask me to bring them to life. This one’s no different! The concept for this super simple dish came from a CrossFit buddy, Justin Tway of CF Alpharetta. I’d never thought of combining these ingredients together so I was pretty pleased / surprised with how it came out. Pro tip: If you use sweet potato as a post-workout source of carbohydrate, you may want to save this tasty mash for a different meal since the fat from the avocado will slow digestion / absorption of the carbs.

Prep time: 5 min     Cook time: 0 min*    Makes: 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 1 large roasted** sweet potato, skin removed
• 1/2 of a ripe avocado
• Pinch of smoked paprika
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Combine the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor.
2. Let it rip! You may need to scrape down the bowl at least once so that there are no chunks remaining (I mean, unless you like that sort of thing).
3. I dipped crispy bacon into mine almost like it was dip (mmmm!) but consumption with a spoon is just as practical.

*If the sweet potatoes are  roasted ahead of time.

**Bonus pro tip: Roasted sweet potatoes are easy to make in advance and keep throughout the week for quick additions to meals. To roast the perfect sweet potato, set the oven to 425F (~220C). Line a baking sheet with foil. Place washed sweet potatoes on the tray. Roast for ~45 minutes (depends on how big they are…size, uh, matters), flipping upside down once during cooking. If you let them COOL completely, the skin should easily peel off. If you’re in a hurry and have asbestos fingers, you can go for the hot-peel method but it’s not pleasant!

Prep time: 5 min     Cook time: 5 min    Makes: 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup full-fat coconut milk (from a can)
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tbsp good quality cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ancho chili powder
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• Heavy whipping cream for topping

Directions:

1. In a small heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the coconut milk, water, cocoa powder, cinnamon and chili powder. Whisk over medium-low heat until the ingredients combine and the cocoa is heated through.
2. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
3. Serve with a dollop of homemade whipped cream and a sprinkle of chili powder or cinnamon.

Tips:

• Refrigerate the juice prior to drinking for best flavor.
• If you make your juice in advance, it’s best to consume asap and to store it in a tightly covered container (mason jars work great for this).
• You can eat the pulp if you’re feeling adventurous.
• If you don’t have a juicer, a high-powered blender like a Vitamix will do the same job.

Prep time: 5 min     Cook time: 0 min    Makes: 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 1 apple
• 1/2 lemon
• 2-3 kale leaves
• 1/2″ piece of ginger, peeled
• 1 small English cucumber
• 1 handful of parsley
• Water

Directions:

1. Roughly chop the fruits and veggies so they’ll fit in the blender or juicer.
2. If using a juicer, run it all through and you’re done.
3. If using a Vitamix or similar: add the ingredients into the pitcher, cover with about 1/2 cup water (or more depending on how dilute you want the juice to be), and use the tamping tool to push everything down into the blades. Start on low / variable speed then gradually increase, and let it run on high for about 1 minute.
4. Pour the juice / pulp through a wire strainer or cheesecloth, catching the pulp and allowing the juice to percolate out.
5. Consume!

I’m all about one-pot cooking because it’s simple and easy with minimal clean-up. Agree?

Originally I intended to make chili, and then this recipe took on a complete mind of its own. Sometimes I do that and the results are often great (and once in a while, completely awful). What I ended up with was neither a stew nor a soup nor was it chili…it doesn’t have the right ingredients to call it that. The best approximation I’ve got is that it’s a very, very hearty meat sauce that’s chock full of veggies. No matter. If you’re looking for one-pot cooking, well, your wish is my command.

Prep time: 5 min     Cook time: 30 min    Makes: 6+ cups

Ingredients:

• 2 Italian sausages (read labels carefully, if no clean options available, sub lean ground pork)
• 1 lb (500 g) lean ground turkey breast (or beef)
• 2 small zucchini, sliced into quarters
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1 large tomato, diced
• 15 oz can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 1 cup prepared pasta sauce (again, read labels)
• 1/2 cup sliced green or black olives
• 1 sweet potato, peeled and diced (optional)
• 1 Tbsp Penzey’s Italian Sausage Seasoning (sub: 1/2 tsp black pepper, 2 tsp ground fennel, 1/2 tsp salt)
• Coconut oil or fat of choice

Directions

1. In a large pot over medium-high heat, sauté the turkey breast and Italian sausage which has been removed from the casing until cooked through. Drain any excess fat and move the meat to a separate bowl for the time being.
2. Prepare the veggies: quarter and slice the zucchini, slice the onion and dice the tomato. Slice the olives and peel / dice the sweet potato.
3. In the same pot over medium-high heat, add a spoonful of your fat of choice. Add the onion and zucchini and sauté until softened but not browned, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the remaining ingredients – tomato, fire-roasted diced tomatoes, pasta sauce, olives, sweet potato and spices.
5. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer, partially covered for about 20 minutes or until the sweet potato is tender.
6. Tasty over roasted spaghetti squash or just on its own!

I know what you’re probably thinking: “Really, Steph…blueberries and eggs?! Weird.” Just trust me on this one. The idea of combining fruit with eggs was actually inspired by my longtime pal Allison who has been doing that for quite some time. I finally decided to bite the bullet and make my own variation which was a nice departure from steamed eggs, my usual standby. No kale? Precooked spinach with the moisture drained out of it would make a good substitute. The coconut aminos add a great savory contrast to the sweetness of the berries. The name “omelette” might not be completely accurate here, but I since couldn’t think of what else to call it, that’s what I’m sticking with!

Prep time: 5 min     Cook time: 10 min    Makes: 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs
• 1 tbsp coconut aminos
• 2-3 whole kale leaves (or ~1/2 cup), chopped
• 1/4 blueberries
• Coconut oil or fat of choice

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, whisk eggs with coconut aminos.
2. Add a spoonful of your fat of choice to a small nonstick skillet over medium heat. Saute the kale for 2-3 minutes until softened and a bit wilted.
3. Add the blueberries to the kale and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
4. Pour the egg mixture into the pan and let it cook undisturbed for 3-4 minutes. Use a spatula to loosen the bottom of the eggs and then carefully flip them over. Allow the eggs to cook through, another couple of minutes.

Prep time: 5 min     Cook time: 5 min    Makes: 2 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch of Swiss chard, washed
• 1/4 cup coconut flakes (unsweetened)
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• Pepper to taste
• Coconut oil or fat of choice

Directions:

1. Slice the Swiss chard into ribbons (mine were about 1/2″ wide).
2. Heat a large skillet on medium-high heat. Add a spoonful of your fat of choice.
3. Saute the chard and coconut flakes until the chard is slightly wilted but not soggy and the coconut flakes are a bit browned, about 3-4 minutes.
4. Sprinkle with cumin and pepper, to taste. I don’t add extra salt because the chard itself is a bit salty.
5. Simple!

Pork shoulder, citrus and spices come together in this super-easy crock pot dish that I guarantee will be a huge punch of flavor. I adapted the recipe from one I found on a pressure cooker website and had to modify the achiote paste portion using dry ingredients from scratch because I couldn’t find it at my local market. Puerco pibil (roast pork shoulder with achiote and spices) comes from the Yucutan region of Mexico. It’s traditionally cooked in banana leaves but since I didn’t have those (nor did I have a pit to bury it in – the traditional way of cooking puerco pibil) I just threw everything in the crock pot and let it go for about 8 hours on low. The next morning I was greeted with a savory broth and fork tender pork.

Prep time: 10 min     Cook time: 8 hours (crock pot)    Makes: ~4 pounds

Ingredients:

• 1 medium onion
• 15 ounce can of diced fire-roasted tomato
• 2 tbsp annato powder (sub paprika if you can’t find annato)
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• Pinch of nutmeg
• 5 lb (~2.5 kg) pork shoulder roast (I bought two smaller roasts)
• 1 orange, juiced
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsp salt

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, mix the annato, cumin, black pepper, 1 tsp salt and pinch of nutmeg. Stir in a bit of water until the spices have a thick, paste-like consistency. 
2. Slice the onion and add to a skillet with a spoonful of fat (coconut oil, etc) over medium heat. Cook for a few minutes until translucent, then add the can of tomatoes. Cook for a few more minutes until softened.
3. Prepare the pork by trimming off any large pieces of external fat (if there is fat on the inside of the meat, most of it will cook out). Slice each roast into long pieces about 1.5″ wide. Season with salt.
4. In the crockpot, mix the juice of one orange with the cider vinegar. Add the annato / spice paste and stir until dissolved. Lay the pork into the liquid. Top with the tomato / onion mixture.
5. Cook on low for 6-8 hours (longer is okay, too). Skim the excess fat off the top while it’s still warm or refrigerate and the fat will solidify on top and can be scooped off.
6. This was delicious with a couple of eggs for breakfast!

Banh Mi is basically a Vietnamese sandwich made with French bread and layers of amazing flavors: sweet, salty, tangy, umami (savory) and spicy. [Side note: “Whaaaat?! A Vietnamese sandwich with French bread?” Yes. A quick Google search of French Indochina will give you all the historical details]. Vegetables, meat and spices combine in harmony and sing on your palate. There are as many variations and ways to make banh mi as you can possibly imagine, even breakfast versions and those with more traditional fillings like Vietnamese cold cuts and (gasp!) head cheese. This recipe is a take on Banh Mi flavors.

Of course, as all good Paleophiles do, you’ve tossed all offending grains and grain products out of your life for good. Sandwiches in the traditional sense are long gone, unless you resort to making or buying Paleo bread – which is usually pretty disappointing, am I right? These Banh Mi Sliders are going to punch you in the face with so much flavor that you won’t even miss the bready platforms of yesteryear.

One of the key ingredients in these sliders is the homemade umami mayo. If you’ve never made it, I highly recommend you check out Melissa Joulwan’s recipe for mayo from her awesome book, Well Fed or her website (linked below). You can make the mayo and the pickled carrot and daikon ahead of time if you’re busy during the week; heck, make a big batch of sliders in advance – the recipe doubles nicely as well – and just assemble these tasty wee bites on demand.

Prep Time: 30 min     Cook Time: 10 min     Makes: ~15 sliders

For the pickled carrot and daikon:

• ½ cup water
• ¼ cup white vinegar
• 2 tbsp honey
• ½ cup julienned carrot
• ½ cup julienned daikon radish
• Salt

1. In a small saucepan, combine the water, vinegar and honey. Heat on medium-high until boiling.
2. Pour the hot liquid over the carrot and daikon radish in a heatproof bowl. Add salt to taste.
3. Let the vegetables pickle for at least 30 minutes. You can make this the day ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator.

For the umami mayo:

• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp mustard powder
• 1.25 cups light tasting olive oil
• Coconut aminos (you’ll use 1.5 tsp for every ¼ cup mayo)

1. Check out the directions for making homemade mayo here or watch the video here.
2. Mix ¼ cup of the mayo with 1.5 tsp coconut aminos in a small bowl.

For the sliders:

• 1 pound of lean ground pork
• 2 green onions, sliced thin
• 1 tbsp fresh grated ginger (or ⅛ tsp dried ginger)
• 1 tbsp fresh minced garlic (or 1 tsp garlic powder)
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 1 tsp fish sauce (I like Red Boat)
• ½ a jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped (optional)
• Zest of 1 lime
• Small handful of fresh cilantro, chopped

1. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and shape into sliders (mini-burgers).
2. Pan fry or grill until completely cooked through, about 3-4 minutes per side.

To assemble the sliders:

• 1 head of Boston (Bibb) or Romaine lettuce (Boston gives you a better cup to make the  sliders in)
• Thinly sliced English cucumber
• Thinly sliced jalapeno (optional)
• Chili oil (optional)
• Fresh cilantro
• Umami mayo
• Pickled carrot and daikon

In each lettuce leaf, place one slider and top with sliced cucumber, jalapeno, chili oil, cilantro, mayo and pickled carrot and daikon.