We’re all a little nutty in here

January 15, 2012 12:46 amLeave a Comment

My dear man loves his nuts. And seeds. Guy plows through a big amount each week. And with our new healthier lifestyle there were 2 options for satisfying his hunger for the crunchy nut…

1. buy them from some place like Whole Foods ($$$$$). And no guarantee that the roasted nuts won’t be made with soy or other no-no oils.

2. buy un-roasted nuts and learn to love them (he says “no thanks. I like my nuts crunchy and salty and with that roasted flavor.”).

Or, wait – there is a third option that is a take-off of #2…

3. buy un-roasted, raw nuts and seeds and roast them at home. Ding! We have a winner!

roasted nuts and seeds
This is my 3rd attempt and roasting and I’ve finally hit on the perfect method and formula. My first effort was on the stovetop. This made for nuts that were slightly scorched in some places and yet raw in others. The next attempt was in the oven but I mixed the different nuts/seeds before roasting them and as some were teeny tiny (sunflower seeds) and others were huge (whole almonds), this didn’t work out too well. The mini guys got VERY roasted while the almonds were not quite there.

So taking what I’d learned and with a big DUH, I roasted each type of nut and seed separately. Started with the almonds and moved on from there. As each batch was finished, it was dumped into a paper bag. For this particular batch, I used whole almonds, macadamias, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds. From beginning to end it took approx 45 minutes. Not terribly bad considering I got about 4 pounds of snacking heaven for my noshing hubby to enjoy.

roasted nuts and seeds
Just look at these beauties with their delicately roasted pieces and bits of fresh-ground sea salt throughout… The almonds are perfectly toasted and dark with flavor. The macadamias have a glorious crunch, and the 2 types of seeds provide a nice second texture and depth that wouldn’t be there if this were strictly a nut blend. Even if we fell off the whole-food/paleo wagon tomorrow, I would continue to roast my own blends at home. It’s just *that* much better. Worth every minute spent.

The beauty of doing this at home is the infinite possibilities for different nuts and seeds as well as oils, spices, seasoning. The hubby requested just straight up salt this time so that’s all I used. Salt and a dash of macadamia nut oil. Yum!

Roasted Nuts & Seeds

no measurements here – just basic directions so you can forge your own path to roasted nut greatness!

raw nuts and seeds
oil (coconut, macadamia, almond, avocado, olive, sesame, etc)
salt
spices, as desired *

Heat oven to 375 and get out a cookie sheet that has sides (to keep the nuts and seeds from leaping off the pan and into the vast open spaces of the oven).

Keep your nuts/seeds separate until each is roasted. Cover the cookie sheet with your nut/seed of choice. You don’t want inches of nuts in there – try to keep it to one layer. Bake for 5-20 minutes, depending on the size of the nut or seed. Check every few minutes and stir to keep them from scorching. You might want to pull a few off each time you check to see if they have reached your desired roasting stage.

Once done, pour into a paper bag or large bowl. Repeat the process with remaining nuts/seeds.

Now that they are all roasted, it’s time for the oil and salt or spices. I use 1 Tbl oil per pound of nuts/seeds. Pour over the little darling and either shake the bag to coat or stir well in the bowl. Season to taste. 1/2-3/4 tsp salt per pound. Spices as desired. Shake/stir well to coat and then pour the contents onto the baking sheet. This time it will be much more than 1 layer deep, but that’s ok. We’re just popping the tray into the oven for 7-8 minutes to help the oil and seasonings to stick to the nuts and to dry them on there.

Remove from heat, set aside to cool, pack into a storage container and enjoy. Delicious, healthy, and so much better than anything you’d buy in the grocery store!

* Spice / seasoning ideas
cinnamon
Chinese 5 spice
garlic
italian herbs
cayenne pepper
curry powder
etc

Next time I’ll do a blend of cayenne, cinnamon, salt. A bit spicy, salt, and hot. Should be fabulous!

Posted in comfort food, snacks, spices

Shrimp Hot Bowls

January 12, 2012 4:05 pmLeave a Comment

I do love shrimp. Especially the jumbo size. Those little guys – not so much. They are far too “fishy” tasting for me. And they smell ripe as well. But jumbo shrimp? There isn’t much better. Meaty, sweet, chewy, sublime. Mmmm…

Today got off to a rough start due to my being up until all hours of the early morning working on a website. We didn’t eat breakfast until 12:30 or so and we just ate lunch – shortly before our normal dinner time. I think that I’m going to get the hubster to take me to Outback for a steak dinner later tonight, after my chiropractor appointment. But that really has nothing to do with anything. So let’s get to the point. Shrimp hot bowls. Nom. Nom.

yumm-a-licious shrimp!

This is simplicity at its finest. A frying pan, some veggies, shrimp, and a generous helping of coconut hollandaise sauce and you have a meal that tastes as though it took hours to prepare. While I also enjoy working for hours to create a culinary masterpiece, quick eats that taste 5 star are my most favorite kind of food. The best part about this simple meal is – you can use virtually any veg you might have on hand. Carrots, squash, spinach, greens, zucchini, broccoli, sugar snap peas, etc, etc. Change up the protein and this could be lunch for a week – never having the same thing twice.

yumm-a-licious shrimp!

Shrimp Hot Bowls

1/2 pound of shrimp, cooked, deveined, tails removed
3-4 cups fresh or frozen vegetables (anything goes!)
4 Tbl coconut oil
1 Tbl fresh chopped garlic
1 tsp salt
1 tsp lemon pepper seasoning
2 tsp italian seasoning
coconut hollandaise sauce

Prepare shrimp (cook, devein, remove tails) and set aside. If you are using frozen (cooked) shrimp, thaw in cold water, remove tails, and then toss with lemon pepper and italian seasoning. Set aside.

Gather vegetables and chop, slice, dice, as desired. If using frozen, just measure out desired amount and you’re ready to go. No need to thaw.

Make a batch of the hollandaise sauce and place in a bowl that is set in *very* hot water. This will keep it liquid and ready to use once the meal is ready. Stir occasionally. Taste often.

In large frying pan, heat 3 Tbl coconut oil. Once oil is hot, add garlic and stir for a few moments before adding veggies. Cook until vegetables are hot but retain a bit of crunch (or longer if you prefer a softer texture).

Remove from heat and portion into serving bowls. In same pan, heat remainder of coconut oil and once hot, add shrimp and cook just until heated. Place shrimp over vegetables and top with coconut hollandaise sauce.

Enjoy. And watch thieving fellow-eaters who will more than likely attempt to steal your shrimp if you’re not paying attention.

yumm-a-licious shrimp!
mmm… that was super yummy!

Posted in comfort food, dinner, sauces, vegetablesTagged , , ,

I’ll have a Waldorf Salad… hold the waldorfs

January 10, 2012 7:05 pmLeave a Comment

My husband and I just love the old tv show “Fawlty Towers.” Inspired by the rude behaviour of the proprietor of a hotel in the seaside town of Torquay, on the “English Riviera”, the show follows Basil Fawlty (John Cleese) in his running of the fictional Fawlty Towers hotel in the same area. It’s truly hysterical. And one of our favorite episodes is “Waldorf Salad“…

American tourist Mr. Hamilton checks in with his wife late one evening. They want a hot meal, but Terry, the cook, has finished his shift. Hamilton bribes Basil to keep the kitchen open, but Terry leaves after a dispute with Basil about overtime. Hamilton orders items not on the menu and, in a panic, Basil tries to prepare the meal while maintaining the pretence that there is a chef slaving away in the kitchen.

So when it came time post about my paleo-friendly chicken salad, I immediately thought of this episode and the title of the post came to me. Just in case you were wondering why I was asking to hold the waldorfs in the waldorf salad…

My chicken salad is made with 4 basic ingredients: homemade, paleo-approved mayo; chicken; grapes, celery. You can add apples or walnuts if desired – but I *hate* walnuts and am just now coming to the point of being able to eat almonds and other tree nuts without wanting to vomit. I’ve been a life-long and avowed nut hater and the thought of actually adding nuts to my dishes isn’t quite yet a welcome one.

For my waldorf-free salad, I used mayo that I had made with a combination of olive oil and avocado oils. Thus the slight yellow/green tint you’ll see in the photos. That’s the goodness of the avocado shining through. Yum.

Because I was lazy and didn’t feel like cooking an entire chicken, letting it cool, and then picking the meat apart — I bought some of the chopped up pre-cooked chicken breast from Costco. Minimal ingredients. No sugar added. Quick, easy, and relatively inexpensive.

chicken salad with paleo mayo

This is a super simple salad. It’ll take longer to make the mayo then it will to put the salad together. I’ll be posting about homemade mayo in a future post so in the meantime, here are a few great links if you’ve never made your own and would like to learn how. Or, you could purchase one of my recommended reading cookbooks and follow the recipe there. Each is delicious and makes a perfect mayo.

paleo-friendly mayo recipe 1
paleo-friendly mayo recipe 2

Chicken Salad (and no waldorfs!)

this recipe doesn’t use measurements – they are not needed

cooked chicken breast, chopped or pulled into small pieces
seedless grapes
celery stalks
homemade mayo
salt, pepper

Cut the grapes in half lengthwise. Dice celery into smallish pieces. Combine with chicken and add mayo as desired — more for a creamier salad, less for a drier salad.

Salt and pepper to taste. Serve over fresh spinach leaves, wrapped inside romaine lettuce, or eat straight out of the bowl. It’s very yummy and hits every nutritional requirement: protein, veggies, fats, fruit. Nom. Nom.

We like our non-waldorf salad served over fresh spinach leaves. One of my husband’s favorite lunches or midday snacks.
chicken salad with paleo mayo

Posted in comfort food, fruit, lunch

Egg Scrambles with Veggies

January 9, 2012 11:29 amLeave a Comment

What to eat for breakfast? For many people looking to eliminate things from their diet, this creates a definite quandary and is likely possible for failure before even leaving the starting gate. Breakfast for the typical person consists of one or more of the following: cereal, oatmeal, toast, pancakes, waffles, french toast, muffins, breakfast bars, breakfast shakes, cheese omelettes, etc. Nothing that is even remotely allowed on a diet that removes basically all of that.

For years, we’ve enjoyed an egg-based breakfast that typically included dairy, potatoes, and some form of cured ham. Then when the diabetes news came in, I eliminated potatoes – getting closer, but still not quite there.

Now breakfast consists of eggs, a huge pile of veggies, homemade sausage, and a bit of fruit. Oh, and fat in the way of either scrambling it into the eggs or as coconut oil hollandaise over the top (oh, so yum!).

I was concerned about our morning omelettes and scrambles – how could we live without cheese? We both love cheese. Adore it. The stinkier the better. Extra sharp cheddars. Feta. Swiss. You name it – I’ve put it in our eggs for years. But since dairy is now out, I had to switch my thinking. No cheese but more veggies. Different veggies. Things I might never have put into eggs before.

The possibilities are quite endless. Here is just a sampling of the different vegetables you could put into breakfast.
zucchini, yellow squash, mushrooms, peppers, spinach, tomatoes, onions (if you eat these – we do not), broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, snow peas, celery, etc, etc, etc

Here is an example. Today’s breakfast had mushrooms, orange peppers (so sweet and flavorful), cherry tomatoes (litte explosions of yumminess), spinach. Topped with the coconut hollandaise. Served with a few grapes, fresh sliced pineapple, and a nice homemade sausage patty (sugar and additive free – recipe coming soon).

This could not be easier. Whip several eggs in a good size bowl and salt/pepper as desired. Chop veggies and toss them into the eggs. You don’t even need to stir them up. Just set it aside. In a large frying pan, heat a few tablespoons of the oil of your choice (suggested oils would be coconut, avocado, macadamia, olive, other nut oils) and once hot, dump in the contents of the bowl. Stir constantly to avoid scorching and to fluff up the eggs. Once cooked through – serve. That’s it! Easy, delicious, healthy. The best kind of meal to start your day.

yummy breakfast

Posted in breakfast, comfort food, vegetables

Curried Fruit

January 7, 2012 7:04 pm1 Comment

I used to love curried fruit as a child. My mom would make giant crock pots of the stuff and we would enjoy it for days. It was a staple at potlucks and family get togethers. Spicy, fruity, and so very sweet. Toothachingly sweet. Overnight cavities sweet. Crazed hyperactivity sweet. Sugar on top of canned fruit, which is made with sugar – curried fruit is a definite paleo and diabetic no no.

Unless you remove the sugar. The American diet is pumped full of sugar. It’s in everything. Don’t believe me? Go to the grocery store and look at any random 12 labels. I guarantee you, there will be sugar listed in at least 10 of them.. if not all 12. Thank goodness they haven’t figured out how to put sugar molecules into whole foods. Yet!

curried fruit
After our delicious venison chili dinner tonight, I was in the mood for some fruit. Something a bit sweet. With a kick. It’s almost time to hit the grocery store again and refill the paleo frig, but I had some fruit left so it was time to recreate that childhood favorite – paleo style.

For my curry, I chose some frozen peach slices, a few stalks of fresh cut pineapple, and couple of raisins. A few days ago I would have added a few grapes and some mangoes along with a sliced apple but alas, the frig is nearly empty! At least I was well stocked with coconut products: coconut milk (from the can), coconut oil, coconut butter (aka: coconut manna).

curried fruit
The end result was different than the curried fruit of my childhood – but in the best possible way. I don’t miss feeling heavy and slowed down by massive sugar consumption. As does my blood sugar levels!

Curried Fruit

2 cups fresh or frozen fruit (peaches, pears, apples, pineapple, mangoes, grapes, etc – sliced or cut into chunks)
2-3 tbl raisins, optional
1/2 cup canned coconut milk
2 Tbl coconut oil
2 Tbl coconut butter
1 tbl curry powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp ground star anise
mint leaves, garnish

Heat oil, coconut butter, coconut milk over medium heat in large frying pan. Stir in spices. Boil for a minute or so to combine and then add all fruit.

Cook until fruit is softened or heated through. Serve in small bowls garnished with mint leaves or dried mint. Serves 4.

Posted in comfort food, fruit, spicesTagged , ,