Pan Seared Boneless Pork Chops (AIP, Paleo)

As as simple week night meal, these pork chops are used frequently in our meal rotation. My favorite part about pan searing pork chops is that it keeps in all the juices. It comes out perfect every time and never dry, which let's face it, often happens when cooking pork. This recipe is super easy and is another one of our go to lazy meals. I pop the pork in the fridge in the morning and it will be defrosted by dinner time. From prep to serve time you are looking at around 15 mins.

Pan-Seared Boneless Pork Chops

Ingredients

• 4 center cut boneless pork chops
• 1 teaspoon rubbed sage
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon ginger
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil

Instructions

1. Pat dry pork chops and set on a cutting board or plate.
2. Mix together all spices in a small bowl.
3. Cover pork chops all over with spice mix, be sure to pat it down to stick.
4. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium high heat.
5. Once oil is hot, add pork chops to the pan. 
6. Cook for 4 mins. Don't touch it at all, just let it cook away.
7. Now flip and cook for another 4 minutes on the other side. You will want a nice sear on both sides by the time it's done.
8. Remove from pan and let rest for 2-3 minutes on cutting board.
9. Slice only when you are ready to serve or serve as a full chop. It will keep the juices in the pork longer this way.

Cherry Turnovers (AIP, Paleo, Vegan)

It's cherry season on east coast and while I could eat them by the handful on the their own, I thought it would be fun to try something new. With the discovery of Otto's Cassava Flour, the Paleo baked good game has really changed. I know I've gone on about this flour before, but it is seriously my favorite. When testing, I have been able to successfully sub it 1:1 with regular flour. which is more than any other options out there. Ok, enough about the flour, it's time to get to these yummy treats.

These cherry turnovers are actually pretty easy to make, though they do take some time due to allowing the dough to rest. My favorite part is that the filling uses no sweeteners at all, not even natural ones.

Cherry Turnovers

Ingredients 

Shell

• 1 ½ cup cassava flour
• ¼ cup arrowroot starch/flour
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ¾ cup organic palm shortening
• ½ cup ice water

Filling

• 1½ cups cherries, pitted and quartered
• ½ tablespoon arrowroot starch/flour
• 3 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoons lemon zest

Instructions

Shell

1. Combine cassava flour, arrowroot starch, and sea salt in a food processor. Just a few pulses to combine.
2. Cut up palm shortening into small pieces (about a teaspoon each) and add to food processor with the flour. 
3. Plus mix a few times, 1-second a time, until it is a mix of crumbled flour.
4. Transfer mix into a large bowl.
5. Added half the ice water and mix until just combined. Add in remaining water 1 tablespoon at a time until it can be clumped by your hand.
6. Transfer mix onto a clean work surface such as a granite counter or parchment paper lined counter top. Your mix should look crumbly.
7. Slowly, one bit of a time, use the bottom of your palm to push and drag out the dough in quick movements. This will help it slowly come together. Do this all the way through twice
8. Once you have made it through the dough, gather it and mold it into a small loaf.
9. Wrap in plastic and place in the fridge for 45 mins.
10. Place dough on a parchment paper lightly dusted with cassava flour.
11. Roll out into a rectangle. The dough should be about a ¼ thick.
12. Fold the dough lengthwise into thirds, then following the narrow edge, roll the dough into a circle. It will fall apart a bit, just mold it into place.
13. Press down the dough into a rectangle and then repeat the process from step 11 once more.
14. After you coil the dough once more, press it down into another loaf.
15. Wrap in plastic and place in fridge while you prepare the filling. You can make the dough about to a day ahead or you can freeze the dough for later use.

The method above is based on the one found here.

Filling

1. In a small bowl, mix cherries, arrowroot starch, lemon juice, and lemon zest until well combined.

Turnovers

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Pull out dough from fridge and roll it out until it is around 1/8 inch in thickness.
3. Cut out circles. I used my Pyrex 2-Cup Round Dish, which is about 4½ inches in diameter to cut out my circles.
4. Pull and roll out dough as needed to get circles. Using my dish, I got 8-10 circles.
5. Place circles on a parchment paper lined baking dish.
6. Carefully spoon filling into the center of each circle, you will use about a tablespoon or so in each. 
7. Lightly wet the edges of the dough and fold over to crease the middle edge. It will come a part a little on top but that's ok. If it doesn't use a knife to make a few slits on top. You can crimp the edge with a fork if you like, but I personally liked the open look.
8. Place in oven for 25-30 mins, or until the edges start to brown and the filling starts to pour out.
9. Cool turnovers on a baking rack.
10. Once cool enough to eat, enjoy on their own, or drizzle with a little melted coconut butter.

Duck Fat Plantain Fries (AIP, Paleo)

I have a confession to make, I have been holding out on you guys. Back in December, I prepared this recipe to share with you all, but couldn't quite get the pictures right. Now that I've had some months to practice lighting and my photography skills, I am ready to share. Yes, I know, totally selfish.

Anyway, enough about my selfish ways, these fries are legit delicious and so easy to make. The first several times I made them with pork lard, which totally works, but then I made them with duck fat. Game. Changer. What I love most about these fries is that they get this nice crunch on the outside, but a perfect soft center, making them the most fry-like of any potato alternative.

Duck fat can be super expensive and hard to find. Which is why I hadn't tried it before. Until I made my own. I was able to get a whole duck for just under $3/lb. By the time we were done with eating the meat, rendering the fat, and using the bones for broth, it has more than paid for itself. Again, you can make this recipe with other fats, but duck fat takes it to the next level, just saying.

Duck Fat Plantain Fries

Ingredients

• 2 green plantains
• 2-3 tablespoons duck fat (you can also use pork lard, coconut oil, or a organic palm shortening)
• Course sea salt

Instructions

1. Heat duck fat in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. You want enough fat to cover the bottom of your pan, so depending on the skillet size, you may need more or less.
2. While oil is warming up, peel the plantains. 
3. To cut the fries, I first cut the plantains into thirds, this is about as long as you want them. Then slice them into fries. Try and make them as uniform in size as possible to prevent any from cooking faster or slower than others.
4. When fat is ready (aka, when a drop of water in the pan sizzles), carefully add in cut plantains with tongs, or you will get splashed with hot oil. Be careful not to over fill the pan, by making sure fries aren't touching. 
5. Cook about 2-3 minutes on all 4 sides. You will want them to change from the dull yellow color to a nice light brown. Another way to tell they are done is by taping them and see if they outside is hard. 
6. When they are done, put them on paper towel lined plate and season with sea salt.
7. Enjoy! My favorite way to have these are along side a guacamole burger. 

Shared on AIP Recipe Roundtable
Featured on Autoimmune Paleo Recipe Round-Up June '15

Curried Chicken Salad (AIP, Paleo)

You may or may not have noticed, I have a bit of a turmeric obsession. This recipe, like many of mine lately, came together on a whim. There was leftover chicken that needed to be used and I am always looking for fun new ways to eat jicama. Naturally, it made the most sense to combine the chicken, jicama, and turmeric plus bunch of other ingredients to make an awesome chicken salad.

Plus, I have successfully reintroduced eggs, so I was finally able to make home made mayo again! Don't worry my fellow AIPers who haven't yet reintroduced eggs or unable to eat them, I have three other options for you.

Curried Chicken Salad

Ingredients

• 10 ounce can of chicken or about a 1 cup of chopped/shredded leftover chicken
• 1/2 cup of diced apple
• 1/2 cup of diced jicama
• 1/3 cup chopped celery
• 1 ½ tablespoons of homemade mayo*
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• 2 teaspoons of green onions
• 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice
• Sea salt, to taste

*I have made these two AIP mayo recipes before and they would both work well in this recipe: Egg Free Mayonnaise and Garlic Mayo, both from The Autoimmune Paleo Cookbook. Alternatively, you could use just coconut cream (the part that separates from the water after being in the fridge overnight). 

Instructions

1. Chop/dice/shred ingredients as mentioned above.
2. Combine chicken, apple, jicama, and celery in a bowl until well combined.
3. Add remaining ingredients, and salt to taste.
4. Serve with some additional chopped green onion.
5. Enjoy on a cucumber slice, on a spoon, or on top of a bed lettuce. 

Cabbage and Ground Pork Curry (AIP, Paleo)

Prior to AIP, I was actually never a huge curry fan. Mostly because it always made me feel so icky afterwards. Having now learned about AIP, I realize that is likely I am sensitive to those spices like cumin and coriander. It was not my intention to create a curry recipe. Right now, I am seriously obsessed with putting ginger and turmeric in any dish that works. Additionally, sage and cinnamon are basically the only spices I use when cooking pork, so I decided to through them all in a pan together with some cabbage and see what happened. To my surprise, it tasted great! So I've decided to share this one pan dish with you all.

Cabbage and Ground Pork Curry

Ingredients 

• 1/2 large head of cabbage, thinly sliced
• 1 lb ground pork
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground sage or 1/2 teaspoon of rubbed sage
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric* 
• 1/4 cup of bone broth (preferably pork or beef)

*If you have access to fresh turmeric, you can also add another 1/4 teaspoon of freshly grated turmeric.

Instruction

1. Preheat large pan over medium-high heat. Add ground pork and cook until browned.
2. Divide cabbage in half and add half to the pan with pork. Mix and cook for about 2-3 mins, or until cabbage starts to wilt a little. 
3. Add in the remaining cabbage and sea salt to pan and stir to combine and cook for another 5 minutes. Stir occasionally.
4. Add cinnamon, garlic powder, ground ginger, ground sage, and ground turmeric to pan and stir until seasons cover the pork and cabbage.
5. Lastly add bone broth to pan. Once broth is boiling, reduce heat to low and cover pan with lid or aluminum foil.
6. Cook covered for 20 minutes on low heat. 
7. Remove lid and cook for another 5 minutes or until all liquid has disappeared.
8. Enjoy!

Shared on AIP Recipe Roundtable

Shepherd's Pie (AIP, Paleo)

We all have that one comfort food that reminds them of their childhood and just brings you back home. For me it's, without a doubt, Shepherd's Pie. Growing up, I could eat it every day, all day, all the time. Each year for our birthday, my mom would make us a meal of our choice, and I can positively say, this was always my pick. Then after dinner, I would pass through the kitchen and sneak a bite more of it until it was put away in the fridge.

I have tried on numerous occasions to replicate my mom's famous dish with no avail. Even prior to becoming paleo, I still couldn't get it right. Then one magical night, on a cold Wednesday evening, I finally figured it out. The recipe is inspired by Hold The Grain's Individual Shepherd's Pie recipe with some AIP tweaks as well as a few spice tweaks from my mom's recipe. What I love so much about Tess's recipe is that instead of mashed cauliflower or sweet potatoes in lieu of mashed potatoes, she introduces the idea of mashed acorn squash. GENIUS! It is exactly the perfect topping to take me home!

Shepherd's Pie

Ingredients

• 2 acorn squash
• 1 tablespoons of avocado oil
• 1/2 onion, finely chopped
• 3 medium carrots, diced
• 2 stalks of celery, diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 lb of grass-fed ground beef
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1 teaspoon marjoram
• 4 whole cloves
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 cup of bone broth
• 1 tablespoon arrowroot flour
• 1 1/2 tablespoons of water

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut the squash in half and bake for about 40 mins or until you can press shell with your finger. 
2. Meanwhile, in a large pan, on medium heat avocado oil. Cook ground beef until browned then remove from pan and set aside.
3. Return pan to stove top and add onion, celery, and carrots and cook for about 4-5 mins. 
4. Add garlic, beef, salt, thyme, marjoram, cloves, and bay leaves to the pan with veggies. Stir to combine.
5. Pour bone broth over the mix.
6. In a small bowl whisk together arrowroot flour and water.
7. Add arrowroot flour to pan and stir until sauce begins to thicken (about a minute). Remove from stove and pour mix into 2.5 quart casserole dish.
8. By now your squash should be ready. You will want it to sit out for about 10-15 mins to cool down so you can handle it.
9. Peel skin off of squash and place the good stuff in a large bowl. Mash with a potato masher until desired consistency.
10. Pile mash on top of meat mixture and spread out evenly.
11. Bake dish for 40-45 mins or until edges start to brown.
12. Enjoy and try not to eat it all in one sitting.

Featured on AIP Recipe Roundtable

Smoked Salmon, Spinach, and Artichoke Dip (AIP, Paleo)

Cheese is one of the things I have missd the most since going Paleo/AIP. If only cheese agreed with me. I am sure in small doses it would be fine, but I have very little self control when it comes to it.

The day the genius Hayley Stobbs, from I Eat Real Food, introduced her Zucchini Cheese it was a total game changer to the paleo world. Soon there were so many amazing variations and adaptations to this genius recipe and we all had cheese alternative again to use!

This recipe combines the original zucchini cheese recipe with a adapted cauli-cheese sauce by the equally talented Martine Partridge from Eat Heal Thrive. This guilt-free, dairy-free, nut-free, egg-free, and soy-free dip is perfect for any party.

Smoked Salmon, Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Ingredients

• Cauli-Cheese Sauce by The Paleo Partridge
• Zucchini Cheese by Gutsy By Nature
• 1- 3.5-4 oz package of smoked salmon, chopped
• 1 cup of frozen spinach
• 7 oz (about 1 cup) of canned artichoke, chopped

Preparations

1. Follow the instructions for both the Cauli-Cheese Sauce and Zucchini Cheese as originally outlined. These can both be made in advance.
2. Warm a large pot on medium heat. Slowly begin to melt the zucchini cheese (if made previously), then add in the Cauli-Cheese Sauce.
3. Once sauces are combined, add in remaining ingredients. 
4. Stir frequently and heat until spinach is fully warmed, about 10-12 minutes.
5. Serve immediately with cut veggies and/or plantain chips. Store leftovers in fridge using an airtight container. Simply reheat in microwave.

Shared on AIP Recipe Roundtable

Oven Baked Plantain Chips (AIP, Paleo, Vegan)

Prior to starting AIP, I could easily eat entire bag of Trader Joe's Plantain chips in one sitting. However, since they cooked with sunflower oil they are a no-no for me right now, so I had to find a way to feed my addiction. Plus, I am always looking for an excuse to use my mandolin.

These are super yummy and perfect to add a little crunch to any snack.

Oven Baked Plantain Chips

Ingredients

• 2-3 green plantains
• 2 tablespoons of avocado oil
• Sea salt
• Garlic powder

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cut off ends and peel plantains. Using a mandolin or very sharp knife slice plantains as thin as a possible.
3. Line two cooking sheets with parchment paper. Light brush the the parchment paper with oil.
4. In a single layer, lay out plantain slices on the cooking sheet and brush the top with a little more oil.
5. Cook slices for 15 mins, flip and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes. Keep an eye on the slices as they burn quickly. Remove them as they start to brown.
6. Place chips in a bowl and season with sea salt and garlic powder to taste.
7. Enjoy!

Japchae: Korean Scallop Stir-Fried Noodles (AIP, Paleo)

Last weekend the hubby and I finally got ourselves to a local Asian market and all I can say is "what in the world took us so long!?" I was like a kid in a candy store with all the many things that are just impossible to find else where, not to mention the prices. We easily spent 2 hours there just looking through everything, though I'm sure we missed something. Next week!

One thing I have been dying to find and try are Korean glass sweet potato noodles. I love my zoodles, don't get me wrong, but there is something that you miss about the gummy like noodle texture. What's great about these noodles is that they are simple made from sweet potato starch and water.

Then of course once I found the noodles I had to figure out what to do with them. After visiting my trusted friend Google, I decided something Asian inspired, uh duh.

After I made the dish and struggle to figure out what to call, I realized exactly what I had made. I had made is Japchae, which is a Korean stir fried dish using the sweet potato noodles, veggies and sometimes a protein. Typically, this dish is made with soy sauce, sesame oil, and sugar, but you won't find any of that in mine.

Japchae: Korean Scallop Stir-Fried Noodles

Ingredients

• 1 lb of bay scallops, washed and thoroughly pat dry
• 1 lb of bok choy, cut in 1 inch strips
• 2 medium carrots, cut in to match stix
• 1 bunch of green onions (8-10), sliced white parts + slice green parts
• 3.5 oz of glass sweet potato noodles
• 1/4 cup coconut aminos
• 1/4 cup + 2 teaspoons avocado oil 
• 2 tablespoons of a sweet red wine (AIP gray area) alternative would be honey or maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon ume plum vinegar
• 2 tablespoons of sea salt (for boiling)

Preparation

1. In a large stock pot with strainer, bring salted water to boil.
2. Add bok choy and carrots to water and par-boil for 2-3 minutes, strain and place in a bowl.
3. Bring water back to a boil and add glass sweet potato noodles and cook for 5 minutes, strain and place in bowl with veggies.
4. While noodles are cooking, put coconut aminos, 1/4 cup of avocado oil, wine, ume plum vinegar, and sliced green onions (white parts) in a small bowl and whisk to combine. 
5. In a large pan, heat 2 teaspoons of avocado oil over medium-high heat.
6. Add scallops to pan and cook for 3-4 minutes. Flipping them half way through.
7. When scallops are cooked, add veggies and pasta to dish and stir to combine.
8. Pour sauce on top of mix in pan and stir to combine. Continue to cook until sauce is almost all absorbed. 
9. Serve in a bowl topped with sliced greens onions (green part).