Main Dishes

Deli Chicken Salad

This recipe is so easy on a busy week. The cook once eat twice concept is a lifesaver for today’s busy lifestyles! I was talking to my sister on the telephone yesterday, and she has three children in five sports this Spring and is really struggling to put good food on the table. I hear her! It can be challenging to churn out healthy meals for the family no matter who you are, and busy Mom’s can really benefit from some fast recipe ideas!

My deli chicken salad recipe uses leftover roasted chicken. I used a chicken from my Lemon Herb Juicy Roasted Chicken recipe here. I had leftover roasted chicken and needed something quick on Monday night. I find chicken salad is so much moisture when you use the whole bird, (a mixture of dark and light meat).

To cook once eat twice, depending on the size of your family, you will need one or two whole chickens. Make the Lemon Herb Roasted Chicken recipe, or another favorite whole roasted chicken recipe the first night. The second night, you will shred the leftover cooked chicken and put together the chicken salad in ten minutes!

Deli Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

2 1/2 Cups Shredded Leftover Chicken

1 Cup Good Mayonnaise (I used my favorite Paleo Mayonnaise here)

1 Tablespoon of Dill Pickle Relish (I love Bubbies) for those Low FodMap it has garlic, but this tiny amount should be fine!)

1 Tablespoon of Whole Grain Mustard (I just found this Clean Brand at my Local Coop, it is delicious!)

1/2 Teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt or Sea Salt

Directions: Just mix it all together and serve it. Someone is sure to lick the bowl clean!

Tip: Double the recipe for even another day packed in lunches!

Have a Happy Day!

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Honey Drizzled Wild Salmon on a Bed of Butternut, Topped with Spinach

At the end of a hard day, I am ready for a hearty meal that includes vegetables, Omega 3’s, healthy carbohydrates and fats. I want it to leave me feeling replenished, well fed and my belly full. If this is you, then this salmon recipe is what you are looking for! Join me in creating a beautiful, nutrient rich salmon entree!

Honey Drizzled Salmon on a bed of Butternut Topped w/ Spinach

The drizzle of honey around each plate pairs beautifully with the salmon and butternut. Just a touch of honey creates a Umami flavor and takes the dish to extraordinary. Although this entree looks restaurant fancy, I promise it is not too difficult. The hardest part is peeling the butternut squash.

Honey Drizzled Salmon on a bed of Butternut Topped w/ Spinach

Honey Drizzled Salmon on a bed of Butternut Topped w/ Spinach

Directions:

Prepare Simple Oven Roasted Butternut Squash ←recipe here

Tent with Foil to keep warm and then turn your oven to broil (high) and place the baking rack on the second level from the top of the broiler.

Ingredients:

For the Salmon:

1 1/2 Pound Sockeye Salmon Filet (approximate weight)

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 Teaspoon Lemon Zest

1 Teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt or Sea Salt

1/4 Cup Honey for Drizzling (clear if SCD/Low FodMap)

Lay Salmon on a parchment or foiled lined, rimmed baking sheet. Mix Olive Oil, Lemon Zest, and Salt in a small bowl and brush on the Salmon. Broil the salmon under the broiler for approximately ten minutes or until the thickest part of the salmon reaches 145º degrees.

While the Salmon is broiling prep your Sauteed Spinach:

Sauteed Spinach

Ingredients:

4 Cups of Fresh Baby Spinach

1 Teaspoon Minced Garlic

1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil (use Garlic Olive Oil if Low FodMap & Omit Garlic)

1 1/2 Tablespoons of Pine Nuts

1/2 Teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt or Sea Salt

In a large sautee pan, place Olive Oil, Garlic (if using) and pine nuts. Turn the burner to high, and toast the pine nuts in the oil until lightly brown. This happens quickly (just a minute or two). Add the spinach and salt. Toss until spinach is wilted.

To plate your dish, start with roasted squash on each plate. Top with a generous portion of broiled salmon. Finally, add the sauteed spinach, and drizzle with honey…..so Delicious!

Serves 4

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My Paleo Peeps!

Get-togethers with friends nourishes the soul as well as the body. Food is at the heart of community when you think about it. Most events, parties and time spent in celebration with others involves some type of food, traditions and favorite regional dishes. It is also seasonal, so in the Fall and Winter we eat more heavy warming food, and in the Spring and Summer our bodies tend crave lighter food. This works perfectly in eating locally. I encourage you to listen to your body. What is it telling you?

My Paleo Peeps is a fun way to serve deviled eggs. Take them to a get together, or invite some peeps to a picnic to celebrate Spring. Immerse yourself in community with others and nourish your body and soul!

I used local pastured eggs in this recipe. The yolks are yellow and full of nutrition!

Although I regularly make homemade clean mayonnaise with my immersion blender, I am in love with Primal Kitchens new Mayo made with avocado oil and completely clean ingredients! It is so good and convenient! I used it in these deviled eggs, or you can make or choose your own favorite brand. Here is my favorite homemade recipe, because it is fail proof. You need an immersion blender, and it is super fast!

My Paleo Peeps!

Ingredients:

12 Pastured Eggs (Hard Boiled and Cooled)

1/2 Cup Good Quality Mayo (I used Primal Kitchen Avocado Oil Mayo).

1 Tablespoon Gluten Free Yellow Mustard (garlic free for Low FodMap like this.)

1 Teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt or Sea Salt

1 Peeled Carrot

24 Currants

1 Sundried Tomato for Wattle

Directions: Slice the eggs in half from tip to bottom. Remove the yolks and mash with the mayonnaise, mustard and salt. Put the egg yolk mixture in a quart size ziplock bag and snip off the end of the bag. Pipe the yolk mixture evenly into the egg halves.

Now decorate your peeps! Currants for the eyes, slice your carrot into beak shapes and skinny slivers for the feet, and take a small snippet of sundried tomato for the wattle! Refrigerate an hour or more before serving to set the filling.

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Lemon Herb Juicy Roasted Chicken

I don’t know about you, but I like my chicken juicy! I also like it to taste like chicken…..good chicken, not chicken injected with something to make it more tender.

The chicken I ate as a child was good pastured chicken with firm, juicy, unadulterated meat. Try this recipe at home for a juicy roasted chicken using the best quality chicken you can afford. I used an organic 4 1/2 pound chicken. Preparing the chicken ahead with the seasonings and refrigerating it for an hour and up to 24 hours will make it even more flavorful!

Lemon Herb Juicy Roasted Chicken

Directions: Preheat your oven to 425º degrees.

Ingredients:

1 – 4 1/2 Lb. Good Quality Chicken

2 Tablespoon Grassfed Ghee

1 Organic Lemon

1 Teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt or Sea Salt, Plus extra for inside the bird

1 Teaspoon of Black Pepper, Plus extra for inside the bird

2 Teaspoons of Dried Parsley

1/2 Teaspoon Dried Tarragon

Directions: Rinse and pat your chicken dry. Place in a roasting pan with a rack. Sprinkle the inside of the chicken with salt an pepper to season the cavity. Rub the outside of the chicken with 2 tablespoons of Ghee. Zest the lemon and mix the lemon zest with 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of pepper, 2 teaspoons of parsley and 1/2 teaspoon of tarragon. Sprinkle the herb blend evenly all over the chicken. Quarter the zested lemon and stuff inside the chicken.

At this point you may refrigerate the chicken covered for up to 24 hours or bake it right away.

Prepped Oven Roasted Chicken Ready for the Oven

Bake the chicken in the preheated 425º oven for one hour or until the meaty part of the thigh registers 165º degrees. Remove from the oven and let rest 10 to 15 minutes to retain the juices before slicing.

Yummy!

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Good Eats for a Lunar New Year Celebration!

Gung Hay Fat Choy! It is the first day of the Lunar New Year Celebration, and I have put together a collection of recipes that you can make for a fun party! It is also known as the Spring Festival, and spring is just around the corner! Believe it, it is coming! This year is the year of the sheep. It is my daughter, Skyli’s year. The date and animal changes every year, because it is based on the Chinese Lunar Calendar, you can see a calendar here and read fun facts! You have probably seen this calendar on a paper place mat at a Chinese restaurant.

Two of my daughters were born in China, so we celebrate every year, but you don’t have to be born there to celebrate! I have included here the Asian Fusion Shrimp Egg Custard with Scallion Oil Drizzle as a starter, Chinese Five Spice Chicken Bites, Asian Pork Ribs, Savory Carrot Scallion Pancakes and Matcha Green Tea Cookies. Serve it with some warm Jasmine Tea, Sliced Oranges (which signify good luck and prosperity in the coming year) and Cauliflower Rice or White Rice, and you have a party!

The Lunar New Year celebration lasts for two weeks, there are dragon dance parades, fireworks, good food and community culminating with the lantern festival. You will see a lion in the collage above. It is different from the dragon which comes at the end of the dragon dance parade. You can read more about Chinese New Year in China here. The decor is extraordinary during this time in Asia. Google Chinese New Year Photos to see real pictures of the parade.

Here is a photo of my family in China several years back in the spring in Tiananmen Square.

Our Family in Tiananmen Square While Traveling in China

There is nothing like traveling to the country of origin and eating the authentic food. It changed my entire view of Chinese food.

I hope you enjoy these recipes! For more delicious additions to your party, check out these Grain Free Chinese Almond Cookies on Tasty Yummies by Texarin Baking, or PaleoLeap’s Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry.

Happy Chinese New Year everyone!

Eat Your Nutrients!

Note: White Rice is not Specific Carb Diet approved so go with cauliflower rice if you are on it.

New England Clam Chowder

This week was “Eat the Pantry Week” at our house, and I made this amazingly delicious New England Clam Chowder from items I had on hand. Have you ever done that? You don’t go shopping unless it is an emergency item, and you cook from your pantry for a set amount of time. I have been making some really delicious food, it is a great mind exercise and creative outlet, plus I think I have saved about $500 bucks just by using what I already had on hand!

Whether you are eating from the pantry or not, this is a dairy free, low fodmap, Paleo clam chowder recipe that will warm your insides and nourish your body!

New England Clam Chowder

Ingredients:

3 – 10 Oz. Cans of Clams, drained and juice reserved (I used Crown Prince)

8 Oz. of Sugar Free Bacon, chopped (you can get it at U.S. Wellness Meats or Pete’s Paleo)

3 Cups Diced Celeriac Root (this will naturally thicken your soup without starch)

1 1/2 Cups Chicken or Bone Broth

1 Can Full Fat Coconut Milk no additives (like this)

3 1/2 Cups Diced Carrots

1 Bunch Scallions, sliced (green parts only)

4 Tablespoons Garlic Infused Olive Oil (I use this brand)

2 Teaspoons Dried Thyme

1 Teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt or Sea Salt

1 1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper

Directions:

In a large dutch oven or stock pot, add 2 tablespoons of garlic infused olive oil and heat over medium high heat. Add your diced celeriac root and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of dried thyme, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Sautee for 8 minutes covered, stirring occassionally. After 8 minutes, add 1 1/2 cups of chicken broth or bone broth. Cover and reduce heat to simmer. Simmer for 12 minutes until tender. Meanwhile in a small skillet, cook the chopped bacon. After the bacon is crisp, drain the fat and set aside.

Place your cooked celeriac root with broth into a food processor with a blade attachment and puree until very smooth, adding a little more broth if necessary.

In the same pan you cooked your celeriac root, add the remaining two tablespoons of garlic infused olive oil. Heat over medium high heat and then add your diced carrots, and sprinkle with the remaining 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Cook until tender, about ten minutes. When the carrots are tender, stir in the green scallions, bacon and reserved clam juice. Then, incorporate the pureed celeriac root, stir in the coconut milk, 1 teaspoon of pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and bring to a medium high simmer. Continue to simmer for ten minutes. Finally, stir in the clams and warm through.

Serve!

6 servings

For a delicious grain free bread to go with your clam chowder, check out this Grain Free Sandwich Bread recipe from Danielle Walker of Against All Grain or this Simple Bread recipe from Elana’s Pantry.

If you have an experience with eating from the pantry you would like to share, please tell us about it in the comment section!

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Lime Pork Shoulder with Blueberry Pomegranate Reduction Sauce

Hello lovely people! I hope you are enjoying January wherever you may be in the hemosphere! I have to say, I would like to see a teeny tiny bit more sun here on the East Coast. However, January seems to be speeding by, and what better way to enjoy it than a warm, hearty, nutritious meal with fast and easy to cook pork shoulder roast (aka pork butt) cut into cubes, and drizzled with a blueberry pomegranate reduction sauce!

Lime Pork Butt with Blueberry Pomegranate Reduction Sauce

It is pretty, delectable and much faster than roasting a whole pork roast, but with the same delicious juicy flavor, because it is broiled! As an added bonus, cubing it allows more square inch for the lime zest to cover the pork! Serve it with carrots, brussels sprouts and mashed celeriac root, or your favorite sides, to balance out the meal with lots of important veggies. Sound appealing? Well, stick with me, and you will have it on the table in no time! You choose the sides! You can do this dish in advance up to the broiling! The meat is marinated from 4 to 24 hours, and the reduction can be made in advance as well.

Lime Pork Shoulder with Blueberry Pomegranate Reduction Sauce

Ingredients for the Pork:

1 3.5 Lb. Pork Shoulder, I get mine from U.S. Wellness Meats

3 Fresh Limes, zest and juice

1/2 Cup Olive Oil

1 Teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt or Sea Salt

1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper

1/4 Cup Sliced Green Onion, Green Parts Only

Ingredients for Blueberry Pomegranate Reduction Sauce:

2 Cups Wild Blueberries, Thawed

1/2 Cup POM Wonderful 100% Juice (I called POM Wonderful direct and was told that their juice contains only 100% pomegranate so it is SCD Safe)

2 Teaspoons Garlic Olive Oil

1/2 Teaspoon Chipotle Powder

1/4 Teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt of Sea Salt

1/4 Teaspoon Black Pepper

Directions:

Cube the pork shoulder into 2 inch cubes and place it in a gallon ziplock bag. Whisk together the lime zest, lime juice, olive oil, salt, pepper and green onion. Pour over the cubes and make sure the pork is evenly coated. Place in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.

To make the reduction sauce, blend all the sauce ingredients in a blender until completely smooth. Pour the sauce into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat when boiling to a simmer, and continue to simmer until it has reduced by half. This will take approximately 20 minutes. Keep an eye on it, and when it is half its original amount and thickening, it is ready.

When ready to cook your pork, preheat your broiler to high heat. Remove the pork cubes from the marinade, discard the marinade, and place the pork on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment or foil for easier cleanup. Broil the pork for seven minutes, then remove from the oven, turn the cubes over, and broil 5 – 7 more minutes or until the pork has reached 145º degrees in the center.

Serve with warm Blueberry Pomegranate Reduction Sauce on top.

Serves 8

Lime Pork Shoulder with Blueberry Pomegranate Reduction Sauce

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Chesapeake Crab Cakes

crab cake

I haven’t met many people who don’t love crab cakes, unless they are allergic to seafood. Here on the East Coast they are famous because of the Maryland blue crab. When my Aunt and Uncle were visiting from Arizona last May they did a lot of sightseeing, and my Aunt tried a lot of crab cakes at various restaurants. This is a favorite family recipe for crab cakes that I have reinvented to be grain free and low fodmap. They have completely delicious, wholesome ingredients. I serve them with sriracha sauce. They are exquisite without any sauce also! The sauce pictured in the photo is PaleoChef Sriracha Sauce I picked up at Whole Foods. My all time favorite homemade mayonnaise recipe is from the cookbook The Paleo Kitchen by Juli Bauer and George Bryant. It is 30-second mayonnaise and it is literally No Fail! You can find the recipe here. I had tried many homemade mayonnaise recipes before, and sometimes they worked and sometimes they failed. Plus, I just don’t have the patience to sit and drizzle! Sorry Julie Child. I still love you! This recipe uses an immersion blender, and is so fast! There is an SCD legal mayonnaise that is sweetened with honey that you can purchase as well if you don’t want to make your own, here. So let’s make some Chesapeake Crab Cakes!

Chesapeake Crab Cakes

Ingredients:

1 Pound Crabmeat (can use refrigerated pasteurized crab)

1 Tablespoon Garlic Olive Oil

1/2 Cup Scallions, chopped (green parts only)

1/2 Cup Finely diced Fennel

2/3 Cup of Mayonnaise (I use Primal Kitchen Mayo)

1 Teaspoon Djon Mustard

1/2 Teaspoon Paprika

1/4 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

1 Teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt or Sea Salt

1 Teaspoon Black Pepper

1 1/3 Cup Superfine Blanched Almond Flour plus 1/3 Cup for dredging

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

Directions:

Preheat your oven 300º degrees.

In a large frying pan, heat the garlic olive oil over medium heat, add the fennel and saute’ for 3 minutes, then stir in the green onion and continue to cook two more minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and set aside. In a large bowl combine the mayonnaise with the spices, salt and pepper. Add the crab stirring lightly then the 1 1/3 cup of almond flour and fennel scallion mixture, again stirring just until combined. In a shallow dish place the remaining 1/3 cup of almond flour for dredging. With a half cup scoop, scoop the crab cake mixture into the palm of your hand, and form into crab cakes. Dredge lightly in the almond flour and set aside on a parchment lined baking sheet. Use more almond flour for dredging if needed.

In a non-stick frying pan, heat 1 1/2 Tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat until ready to sizzle when cakes are added. Add half of the crab cakes to the pan and fry about four minutes per side until golden brown. Remove them from the pan, and place on the cookie sheet and pop them in the oven to stay warm. Repeat with the second half of the crab cakes. They are ready!

Makes approximately 8

chesapeak-crab-cakes

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Lamb and Pine Nut Meatballs with Swiss Chard

This is a hearty meatball, and a delicious way to get in your greens! The meatballs are baked on top of the swiss chard (1 cup has 18 milligrams of calcium). Fats help with the digestion and absorption of vitamins and minerals in greens, plus it makes them taste so good! The pine nuts give the meatballs texture and personality. The mint, fennel, leeks and orange zest pair very well together with the lamb. This meatball recipe is an easy, one dish, main dish. Grass fed lamb is a good source of zinc, vitamin B12 and selenium. I also served this dish with roasted carrots, beets and a side salad. You can add any vegetables you like to your meal. Meatballs are so versatile! It is one of the things I love about them! Plus, since I have been really busy with my health coaching classes, this dish gets me out of the kitchen fast! I am sure many of you busy people out there will appreciate this easy, delicious recipe as much as I do!

Lamb Meatballs with Pine Nuts ans Swiss Chard

Lamb Meatballs with Pine Nuts and Swiss Chard

Lamb Meatballs with Pine Nuts and Swiss Chard

Ingredients:

2 Pounds of Grass Fed Ground Lamb

1/2 Cup Pine Nuts

1/2 Cup Superfine Almond Flour

1/4 Cup Finely Chopped Leek

1 Egg

2 Tablespoons plus 2 Teaspoons Garlic Infused Olive Oil

1 Tablespoon Dried Mint

1 Tablespoon Ground Fennel

1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper

1/2 Teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt or Sea Salt

Zest of One Organic Orange

1 Bunch of Swiss Chard, stems removed and coarsely chopped.

Directions:

Set your oven to broil.

Toast the pine nuts in a pan over medium high heat on the stove top for five minutes or until golden brown.

Mix together the ground lamb, pine nuts, and remaining ingredients except the chopped swiss chard. Form into golf ball sized meatballs. Place the chopped swiss chard in a large non-stick, oven-proof pan or large dutch oven. Toss with 2 teaspoons of olive oil and sprinkle lightly with additional salt and pepper to taste. Place the meatballs on top of the swiss chard, leaving space between the meatballs for even cooking.

Place meatballs and swiss chard under the broiler, and broil for five minutes. Turn oven to bake at 375º degrees, and bake an additional ten minutes until the internal temperature of the meatballs reaches 165º degrees. At this point your chard will be nicely cooked, with the lamb juices incorporated into them, and the meatballs soft and tender. In a pinch, you can also use frozen chard with great results! Approximately 18 Meatballs.

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Delicata Sun Dried Tomato Galette

This rustic Galette is sure to please! It is a meatless main course, and is nice paired with a salad on the side. Delicata Squash are smaller than other winter squash and are tender with orange flesh. Four ounces of Delicata Squash has 3 grams of fiber and 2 grams of protein, in addition to vitamins A and C. I used two medium Delicata in the Galette. You can also substitute butternut squash for the Delicata if you can’t find it. I love the ease of making the rustic crust (no perfectionism here!) and it is fun to hear the oooo’s and aaaaa’s when you pull it from the oven! The sun dried tomatoes add delicious concentrated flavor, and the scallions and black olives add a finishing gourmet touch!

Delicata Sun Dried Tomato Galette

Directions: Preheat your oven 375º degrees.

Ingredients for the Crust:

2 1/4 Cups Superfine Almond Flour

2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Egg

1/2 Teaspoon Himalayan Pink or Sea Salt

1/4 Teaspoon Black Pepper

Mix the crust ingredients in a large bowl until it holds together. Place the crust ball onto a parchment lined baking sheet and pat out with your fingers into approximately a twelve inch round, like you would a pizza dough.

Ingredients for the Filling:

4 Cups of Peeled and Cubed Delicata Squash

3 Sun Dried Tomatoes, Soaked in Hot Water for 1 hour to soften

1/2 Cup of Pitted Black Olives

1 Tablespoon plus 2 Teaspoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

3 Green Scallions, sliced, green parts only

1 Teaspoon Italian Seasoning

1/4 Teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt or Sea Salt

1 Teaspoon Black Pepper

Delicata Sun Dried Tomato Galette

For the filling, place your peeled and cubed squash onto a parchment lined, rimmed baking pan and toss with 1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil, the Italian Seasoning, Salt and Pepper. Roast in the oven in a single layer for 20 minutes, stirring once. Remove from the oven and cool slightly. Drain the soaking water off your sun dried tomatoes and finely chop. Mound your squash into the center of the patted out galette crust and spread to within an inch and a half of the edges of the crust. Sprinkle with the sun dried tomatoes and olives. Gently fold the crust edges up and around the filling pressing a bit to keep it in place, a spatula can help here. Drizzle the filling with two teaspoons of olive oil. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes in the oven. Remove and sprinkle with green scallions. Serve and enjoy!

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