Recipes

I cook for one person ( me... duh) so if you wanna try the recipe out for only one person use the measurements given; if your feeding more than one multiply by how many people you have and looky there you have a recipe suited for more people.


"Spaghetti" and Meatballs


          I have tried a lot of different vegetables trying to find one the suits my liking for spaghetti noodles.  Spaghetti squash is often what comes to peoples mind for a substitute.  I personally dislike the sweetness it has for spaghetti but I am no food critic.  Through my trials of noodles, I ran out of options and my fridge was filled with cabbage...purple and nappa to be exact.  I thought what the hell, the worse thing that would happen would be wasting cabbage...and cabbage is cheap so fuck it.  Much to my dismay cabbage turned out to be my new favorite noodle. I used tomato sauce to emulate pasta but any sauce would be delicious on these.

For one heaping serving of Cabbage Noodles in Tomato Sauce

1 Tbs Olive Oil
1/2 Clove Garlic, minced
4 C. Mixed (Purple and Nappa) Cabbage, shredded
1/3 C. Red Onion
1/2 C. No Salt Added Tomato Sauce (Personal favorite is Muir Glen Organics)
1/2 tsp. Dried Oregano  (Fresh would be yummy too, fresh oregano has more flavor so use discretion)
1.2 tsp. Dried Basil (same story as above)
1/4 tsp. Black Pepper (Fresh or course ground is a good choice)
1/4 tsp. Red Pepper Flakes (more if you like it spicy)

1. Warm skillet to medium heat
2. Add olive oil, let this warm for a bit
3. Add garlic and let soak up the oil and release its flavor...you will smell this
4. Add cabbage 
5. Let cabbage saute until it starts to lose some of its crispness, about 6-7 min. The cabbage will cook down, not as much as spinach though.
6. Add tomato sauce and spices to cabbage and let this simmer at the medium heat for maybe 2-3 minutes.  
7. Add a meat of choice, I added my Italian Meatballs (recipe to come shortly)
8. Most importantly enjoy!
 P.S. For any zoners out there this is 2 blocks of carbs and 3 blocks of fats. (trying zone out, we will see how it shakes out)


06/19/2012

   Eating healthy and constantly being on the go is no easy task, having easy options.....wait let me rephrase...having easy, actually edible and most of the time delicious options is a big time bonus. Everyone has their version of fajitas and I'm sure it is good but spices are what make a dish, and what I call fajita filling has just that, amazing fucking spices.  Oh I like things a wee bit spicy by the way. I first started experimenting with chili power after I had some sauteed onions from the paleo wagon at an event and fell in love. So this is my ode to the paleo wagon. 


Fajita Filling

Add your own meat of choice, I had left over chicken breast so that is what I chose for this

This makes one ginormous scrumptious serving

Prep Work:
1.) Slice (long ways) a bell pepper...any color will do, what ever tickles your fancy or what you have on hand.
2.) Slice 1/4 of large red onion (approximately 2/3-3/4 cup)
3.) Half a 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes 

Cooking Part:
1.) Heat medium sized skillet over medium-high heat
2.) Add 1 Tbs of Olive Oil to pan and let oil warm
3.) Add sliced green pepper
4.) Let cook for approximately 4-5min 
Time to add the spices to peppers
5.) 1/4 tsp course ground black pepper
6.) 1/2 tsp chili powder (I used ancho chili powder...really deep burgundy color)
7.) 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
8.) 1.4 tsp cayenne pepper
9.) 1/4 tsp garlic powder ( could sub in real minced garlic if you prefer)
10.) Add sliced red onion immediately after spices have been added
11.) Stir this mixture together 
12.) Let cook 2-3 minutes
13.) Add halved cherry tomatoes and meat of preference (steak, chicken, shrimp, etc.)
14.) Stir together and let cook until tomatoes start to become soft and slightly darker.

I put some sliced avocado on top for extra deliciousness
Enjoy!
P.S. for Zoners this recipe is 2.5 carb blocks and 3 fat blocks (excluding avocado) add protein blocks at own discretion







Cauliflower Mash

My version of oatmeal
       
       During my early days of lifting and then as I progressed through my figure competitor days oatmeal became a comfort food to me.  This was the last grain that I let go of when converting to paleo...and man I hung on by any thread that I could.  Oh the very best combination is oatmeal and peanut butter all swirled together.  I went without any sort of oatmeal-esk for about six months until I discovered this.  I originally found a cauliflower mash recipe on the CrossFit Journal, but I ended up making tweeks of my own that made it even more incredible.  This is one of the only recipes that I prepare a large batch and reheat before I eat it.

This recipe makes about 4-5 (1 cup) servings....
amount created depends on how large the head of cauliflower is. 

You will need:
1 Large head of cauliflower
1 can of regular coconut milk...none of the "lite" shit
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
Ground Clove
Coconut Oil
Pure Vanilla

Preparation:
1.) Chop head of cauliflower in to med-large sized pieces.
2.) Heat large soup pot to medium heat
3.) Put 2 tsp of coconut oil; and heat oil
4.) Dump all of cauliflower into pot; let cook/brown just for a few (2-3) minutes
5.) Add one whole can of coconut milk to cauliflower 
Spice time!
     1-1/2 tsp cinnamon
     1/2 tsp nutmeg
     1/4 tsp ground clove
     1 tsp vanilla
6.) Stir together and put lid on pot
7.) Bring mixture up to a medium (not rapid) boil for 5 min
8.) Take heat down to low to low-med for 15-20 minutes or until cauliflower is soft and smashable
9.) Remove lid and use a potato masher to squash the cauliflower to desired oatmeal-like consistency
10.) Stir and turn off heat from burner
11.) Let mixture sit on burner still without the lid for about 5-10 minutes
   This last step I have found to be a good one, this allows for moisture to escape from the cauliflower mash allowing for it to reduce. It holds its texture better and when the sugars reduce down it allows for the cinnamon to enhance the sweetness so that no other sweeteners have to be added to it.

Enjoy!  And put the rest in a glass storage container for the remainder of the week.

P.S.  1 serving has far more fat than carbs so for blocks it rounds out to 1.5 blocks CHO and 10 blocks fat..this calculation is without any toppings

As shown in the picture I added about 1/4 cup of blueberries to it and some flax seed.







Bangin' Buffalo Stew

   I know, I know it is summer and stew isn't the first main dish that pops into one's head, but I had buffalo in my freezer and also a long day of work ahead of me.  So I wanted to come home to dinner all ready for me later!  This turned out really well, I surprised myself...but hey its been one wonderful week for me so what can I say.

Takes 15 minutes prep.....8 hours cook time......6 big bowl servings (technical measurements huh?) 
You will need: 
1 Tbs. Olive oil
1 lb buffalo stew meat cut
3 Stalks celery; chopped
3/4 C. Baby carrots; halved length wise
1 Medium yellow onion; sliced
1-8oz. Container of crimini (baby portabella) mushrooms; sliced
1 quart vegetable stock (low sodium, preferably organic)
SPICES!
1/2 tsp chili powder (ancho chili used)
1/2 tsp course black pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp garlic powder (granulated)

Cooking time:
1.) Put crock pot on high heat while it is empty
2.) Put olive oil in and let heat
3.) Add meat to pot and let slightly brown
4.) While meat is browning add half of the pepper and all of the garlic powder
5.) Add vegetable stock
6.) Add all of the other ingredients except mushrooms
7.) Let cook on high for 1 hour
8.) Turn heat to low
9.) Add mushrooms
10.) Let cook for 8 hours

The meat will fall apart in your mouth, the carrots will be soft but not mushy, the mushrooms add so much flavor to the stew.  This reheats very well and lasts for a couple of days in the refrigerator.

P.S.  I had a tough time estimating the block content on the soup...you never know exactly what you are going to get with each ladle full.


"Paleo" French Toast Pancakes

  A lethal combination of delicious goodness.  I don't know how much I would call these pancakes paleo, I mean technically they fall with in the guidelines of paleo but these break some barriers.  The taste is absolutely incredible.  I had originally found a recipe called "Saturday Morning Pancakes" on Farmer K's Kitchen and I didn't have some of the stuff so I improvised and they turned out far better then I could have imagined.

Makes 8 pancakes....I tried not to eat them all in one sitting....I just ate them later in the day.  They are actually good out of the fridge too!

You will need:
-1 &1/2 C + 1&1/2 Tbs Almond flour
-1/4 C + 1 Tbs Flax meal (ground flax seed)
-2 tsp. Pure vanilla
-1/4 C.Honey ( I used raw honey...yum =) )
-1/2 tsp Salt
-1/2 tsp Baking soda
-Heaping 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
-2 Eggs
-3/4 C. Hot water

Sorry for the weird increments for the almond flour and flax meal; in order to get the right consistency I had to goof around with how much stuff I put together

Alrighty now time to prepare (this recipe is super easy!)
1.) Put all of the ingredients together in a bowl [besides water and honey.]
2.) Take honey and put in a bowl, and add the hot water to the honey to make a honey solution
3.) Add honey solution the bowl with all of the other ingredients. 
4.) Stir together well. If it is too thick add a tad bit more water, I would say Tbs by Tbs until desired consistency.  If the mixture is too thin for your liking add almond flour or flax meal Tbs by Tbs until you have the viscosity that you prefer.  
5.) Heat griddle.  Spray with coconut oil spray (butter, ghee, coconut oil would work as well)
6.) Take your 1/4 C. measuring cup and use as a scoop for pancake batter. 
(You might have to spread batter out a little once on the griddle to make sure it isn't too thick)
7.) They bubble just like normal pancakes, don't flip right when bubbles start but wait just 1 min or so and then do your flipping!
8.) Serve with real maple syrup or honey almond butter on top

Enjoy!

No Zone blocks calculated with these...pretty much a treat that is mostly fat and moderate on carbohydrate (the honey adds quite a bit...prolly why they are scrumptious) 


Turkey Sausage Patties



I love breakfast sausage, all the salty goodness and great flavors; but I hate the fact that most of the stuff in stores in heavily processed.  There is a shit ton of weird stuff listed in the ingredients that I don't even know what they are.  Scary. So I thought...well I could just make my own and then it will taste better, fresher (if that is a word), and healthier! Score!


With some over-medium eggs and sauteed kale for breakfast!

This makes about 6-8 little patties....

You will need:
1 lb of 99% lean ground turkey ( you could use the 93/7 and it would be good too)
1 egg
1 tsp fennel
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Making these delicious patties of awesomeness:
1.) Take a medium-large bowl and add all ingredients in bowl
2.) Mix the ingredients thoroughly...I used to my hands, it works the best :)
3.) Create a 1-1/2 inch ball
4.) Flatten to about 1/2 inch thick
       You will want it a little flatter than you would normally think, the meat expands a wee bit when cooking
5.) Repeat with the remainder of the meat mixture
6.) Heat skillet, or griddle to medium-high heat
7.) Add oil of choice...I used olive oil for these...let oil heat
8.) Add all patties to heated oil and brown both sides of the patties ( about 2 minutes per side)
9.) Once you have browned both sides, turn heat down to medium heat.
10.) Let patties cook for about 4-5 more minutes or until center is not pink anymore.
11.) Remove from heat and let rest on paper towel until cool enough to cram in your mouth

You could also make this into ground sausage if you were wanting to do something else with it.

Enjoy!


P.S. -- Each patty is roughly 2 ounces...so with the 99% lean turkey that is 2 protein blocks per patty.  If you use the 93/7 ground turkey it is 1-1/3 protein block per patty.  











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