Menu Recipes
February 23, 2014- March 8, 2014
Sweet Potato Hash
Make ahead:
Dice and cook sweet potatoes then dice onion. Brown sausage in skillet. Put all in reusable container then add diced tomatoes.
When ready to eat:
Scramble sweet potatoes, onions, tomatoes, and sausage in a skillet until heated through. Enjoy!
“Potatoes O’Brien”
Ingredients:
1 Large Rutabaga
1 Small Onion
2 Large Cloves Garlic, Minced
3 Mini Bell Peppers – 1 Orange, 1 Yellow, 1 Red
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper, to taste
Make ahead:
If your rutabaga is waxy, peel it. If it is not, leave the peel on. Trim the ends and dice. Also dice onion and peppers. Try to dice all vegetables the same size. Put in reusable container until ready to use.
When ready to eat:
Throw mixture into skillet, drizzle with olive oil and season with Salt & Pepper. Sautee until heated through, stirring frequently.
Stovetop Pork Carnitas
3-4 lbs. pork shoulder, boneless or bone-in
1/2 cup lime juice
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 heaping (!) tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1/2 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Pineapple chunks
Lime Wedges and cilantro for garnish
1. Cut the pork shoulder into a few large chunks. You don’t want them bite-sized; I make mine about 3-4 inches.
2. Mix cumin, garlic powder, salt, coriander, black pepper, and cayenne together in a small bowl. Place the pork chunks in a plastic container with a lid or a Ziploc bag. Pour in the spice blend, then toss the bag vigorously until the chunks are completely coated on all sides.
3. Place the pork in a large, deep pan. Pour the lime and lemon juice into the bottom, then add water to just cover the meat.
4. Turn heat to high and bring the water to a rip-roaring boil. You want big bubbles! When it’s rolling, turn the heat to a simmer. Keep the pan uncovered. You want it bubble a fair amount, but not be a roiling boil. While it’s cooking, it will look like uninspired soup. Do not be discouraged! Essentially, you’re waiting for the water to evaporate from the pan, but while the water is evaporating, the powerful acidic qualities of the lime and lemon juice are tenderizing the meat. Yay, science!
5. At about the 2-hour mark, check the pot. The water should be much lower and maybe even almost gone. Now things get interesting… allow all the water to cook out of the pan and watch as the meat magically fries and caramelizes. It is a thing of beauty. But seriously, you need to watch it at this point.
6. Carefully turn the hunks of meat – without shredding them – to brown all sides, then remove the hunksto a plate and let them rest for 5 minutes before eating. If you’re into this sort of thing, you can save the pork fat from the bottom of the pan in a glass jar and use it for other cooking projects.
Roasted Winter Veggies
I chopped and peeled carrots, butternut squash, parsnips, and sweet potato. Drizzled the veggies with olive oil, sprinkled with TexJoy, sea salt and fresh cracked pepper and freeze dried chives. Roasted them in a 425 degree oven for 25 - 35 minutes.
“Spaghetti” and Meatballs
Ingredients:
One medium spaghetti squash.
One pound of ground Italian sausage.
One can of tomato sauce, I used a 14 ounce can.
2 tbsp of hot pepper relish (optional).
4 to 6 cloves of garlic, whole.
2 tbsp of olive oil.
Italian seasoning (Oregano, Basil, Thyme)to taste, I used about 2 tsp
Directions:
Make sure you use a large 6 quart slow cooker for this recipe.
Dump your tomato sauce, olive oil, garlic, hot pepper relish and Italian seasoning into your slow cooker and stir well.
Cut your squash in half and scoop out the seeds.
Place your 2 squash halves face down into your slow cooker.
Roll your ground sausage into meatballs, then fit as many as you can in the sauce around the squash. I was able to work in about a half pound worth.
Cook on High for 3 hours or cook on low for5 hours.
Use a large fork to pull the “spaghetti” out of your squash, then top with your meatballs and sauce.
Garnish with parsley if you feel fancy, and enjoy!
Bacon Wrapped Pineapple
Dice the fresh pineapple and wrap in bacon. Fix with toothpicks, and bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes.
5 Spice Slow Cooker Pork Ribs
Ingredients:
3-4 pounds baby back or St. Louis pork ribs
salt and ground black pepper
2 teaspoons Chinese five-spice powder
3/4 teaspoon coarse (granulated) garlic powder
1 fresh jalapeño, cut into rings
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons coconut aminos
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Directions:
1. Cut the ribs into pieces that will fit standing up in the slow cooker. Lay the ribs on a cutting board and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, mix the Chinese five- spice and garlic powder together, then massage onto the meat to coat the ribs.
2. Toss the jalapeño rings into the bottom of the slow cooker, and add the rice vinegar, coconut aminos, and tomato paste. Stir until the tomato paste is combined with the other liquids. Add the ribs, standing up so they’re not lying in the liquid – or use a roasting rack inside the cooker so the ribs are not lying on the bottom – cover, and cook 6 hours on high or 8-10 hours on low.
3. When the ribs are fall-apart tender, remove them from the cooker. Pour the liquid into a heat-proof container and refrigerate until the fat separates from the juices. Remove the fat and bring the remaining liquid to a boil, then simmer for a few minutes. Use as a dipping/drizzle sauce for the meat.
4. Want ‘em crispy? Throw the ribs in a 400F oven for 10 minutes while you boil the sauce.
Golden Cauliflower Soup
Ingredients:
1 large head cauliflower (about 3 pounds)
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 medium onion, diced (about 1 cup)
2 large carrots, diced (about 2 cups)
2 cloves garlic, smashed
2 cups beef broth
1 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup canned coconut milk
Directions:
1. Wash and core the cauliflower, then coarsely chop. Set aside.
2. Heat a large, deep pot over medium-high heat, then add the coconut oil. When the oil is melted, add onions, carrots, and garlic. Stir with a wooden spoon and cook until they’re soft and golden, about 5 minutes. Add the chopped cauliflower and cook until beginning to brown, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the broth and water, then bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook, covered, until the vegetables are very tender, about 45 minutes.
4. Working in batches, carefully transfer the cauliflower and some of the broth to a blender or food processor. Cover the top with a dish towel to protect yourself from splatters, and purée the cauliflower until smooth, adding more broth as necessary.
5. Pour the purée back into the soup pot, then add the salt, pepper, and coconut milk. Stir to combine and cook over medium until heated through. Serve immediately with garnishes, or store covered in the refrigerator. To reheat, warm the soup gently over medium-low heat until bubbly.
Sunshine Sauce
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 clove garlic, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon coconut aminos
1/4 teaspoon powdered ginger
1/2 teaspoon rice vinegar
1/4 cup sunflower seed butter (I like Sunbutter; no sugar added)
dash ground cayenne pepper (optional)
1/4 cup coconut milk
Directions:
1. Place all the ingredients except the coconut milk in the bowl of a food processor and whirl until well blended.
2. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber scraper, then add the coconut milk. Process until it’s blended and smooth. Store covered in the fridge.
3. Eat with abandon and joyousness.
Chicken Pad Thai
Ingredients:
1 batch Sunshine Sauce
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons coconut aminos
2 teaspoons plus 1 teaspoon coconut oil
1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup)
1 cup snap peas, thinly sliced lengthwise
2 cups cooked spaghetti squash
6-8 ounces grilled chicken thighs, diced
Directions:
Crack the eggs into a small bowl, and use a fork to scramble them with the coconut aminos. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, about 3 minutes. Add 2 teaspoons coconut oil to the skillet, and when it’s melted, pour in the eggs and let them spread like a pancake. Reduce the heat to medium and cover with a lid, letting the eggs cook until they’re set and beginning to brown on the bottom, about 3-4 minutes. Flip and lightly brown the other side. Remove the eggs from the pan and cut into strips with a sharp knife.
2. Using the same pan, increase heat to medium-high and add 1 teaspoon coconut oil to the pan. Sauté the onion and snap peas, stirring with a wooden spoon, until they’re crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Add the spaghetti squash, chicken, and cooked egg to the pan and, stirring with a wooden spoon, cook until heated through, about 3 minutes.
3. Add the Sunshine Sauce to the pan and stir-fry until everything is well-blended and hot. Divide among two plates, sprinkle with garnishes, and dig in. Top with cashews, almonds, or sunflower seeds, chopped scallions, chopped cilantro, and a squeeze of lime juice
Meatloaf Stuffed with Veggies
Ingredients:
1-1.5 pounds of ground beef
Two medium sweet yellow onions
2-3 carrots, peeled and chopped (substituted for baby carrots in original recipe)
4-6 ounces of mushrooms
One large yellow squash
One large zucchini
Crushed red pepper
Coriander powder
Red chili powder
Balsamic vinegar
Tandoori spice
Garlic powder
Black pepper
Coconut oil
Salt
In preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Finely chop one onion, carrots, and mushrooms to add to meatloaf. Cut squash, zucchini, and one onion into bite-sized pieces for stir-fry.
Directions:
Add ground beef and finely chopped vegetables to a mixing bowl. Add a nice dusting of Tandoori spice, black pepper, garlic powder, and salt. Add 1/2 teaspoon of red chili powder. Add 1 teaspoon of coriander powder. Mix all ingredients thoroughly and then transfer to a casserole dish. Splash balsamic vinegar over the top. Cook covered for 60 minutes.
About 15 minutes before the meatloaf finishes cooking, heat 1-2 tablespoons of coconut oil over medium heat in a wok. Add bite-sized vegetables. Add garlic powder, red and black pepper, and salt to taste. Stir well and let the mix cook covered for 10 minutes.
Notes: The stir-fried onions, squash, and zucchini offered along with the meatloaf is my recent default veggie-dish. I think doubling the squash and omitting the zucchini tastes better, but suspect adding the “green” squash to the yellow squash improves the health value of the meal slightly. I do eat for the joy of eating, but like to get health benefits at every meal too, so rarely omit the zucchini.
Sweet Potato Soup with Bacon
Ingredients:
6 slices sugar-free, nitrate-free bacon (like this from US Wellness Meats)
1 onion, finely diced
1 teaspoons Ras el Hanout
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
dash cayenne pepper
5 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
2 pounds sweet potatoes (2-3 large), peeled, quartered lengthwise, and sliced thin
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup water
garnish: fresh or dried chives
Directions:
1. Cut bacon into 1/4-inch slices and place in a cold soup pot. Heat the pot over medium-high heat and cook the bacon until it’s crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate covered with paper towels and set aside to drain and crisp.
2. Keep 1 tablespoon of the fat in the pan and discard the rest. Re-heat the fat over medium-high heat, then add the onions, Ras el Hanout, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft, about 5-7 minutes. Toss in the garlic and stir, cooking until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
3. Add the sweet potatoes, broth, and water to the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, cover, and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 10-15 minutes.
4. Working in batches and being careful (please be careful, friends!), purée the soup in a food processor or blender until it’s smooth. Return to the pot, taste, and adjust seasonings. Ladle into bowls, then sprinkle with a little bacon and chives. Both the bacon and soup hold up well in the fridge for a few days.
Ras el Hanout
2 (level) teaspoons salt
2 (heaping) teaspoons cumin
2 (level) teaspoons ginger
2 (conservative) teaspoons black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/4 (slightly rounded) teaspoon nutmeg
optional: 1 teaspoon saffron threads (I still don’t have saffron.)
Mix all ingredients and store in an air tight container.
Sweet Potato Fries
Ingredients:
Olive Oil, for tossing
5 sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch long slices, then 1/4-wide inch strips, using a crinkle cut knife
1 tablespoon House Seasoning (recipe follows)
1/2 teaspoon paprika
House Seasoning:
1 cup salt
1/4 cup black pepper
1/4 cup garlic powder
Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Line a sheet tray with parchment. In a large bowl toss sweet potatoes with just enough oil to coat. Sprinkle with House Seasoning and paprika. Spread sweet potatoes in single layer on prepared baking sheet, being sure not to overcrowd. Bake until sweet potatoes are tender and golden brown, turning occasionally, about 20 minutes. Let cool 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
For the House Seasoning:
Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
Cauliflower “Rice”
From Well Fed Cookbook