My Favorite Paleo recipes: Apple - Dijon Burgers

Two events collided this weekend to point me in the direction of the BEST BURGER RECIPE EVER.  Yes, I realize I shouted that.  If you were here in person you would have actually heard my enthusiasm for this burger recipe.  Event #1: On saturday I picked up my order from Golden Share Foods.  It's "Southern California's largest LOCAL food cooperative".  While the meats are not technically paleo since they aren't grass fed beef and free range chicken, it is REALLY REALLY cost effective and it alleviates me from having to search the ads for meat sales for about 2 weeks out of every month.  I totally recommend using this program.  Event #2: I took the kids Apple Picking while Hubby was trying to survive the Run For Your Lives, a zombie infested 5k obstacle course.  So the kids and I picked probably 10 pounds of apples and you can only eat SO many before you're bribing the children to "eat just one more, for mommy?"  I needed to find recipes to cook them in.  And lo and behold there was the Apple Dijon Burger recipe from Civilized Caveman Cooking Creations.  These burger patties are a bit crumbly, best eaten with a fork rather than in an unstable lettuce "bun".  But they are SO good.  The apples, onion and dijon mustard give them almost an asian flavor which I just adore.  I made these on Saturday, and lucky for the hubby, I'm making them AGAIN tonight because I love them that much.  

My slave labor, I mean, the kids had fun picking apples!

APPLE - DIJON BURGERS
serves 4 cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 Lb Grass-Fed Beef
• 1/2 Cup Shredded Apple
• 1/3 Cup Minced Red Onion
• 1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
• 1 Tsp Black Pepper
• 1/2 Tsp Sea Salt
• 1 Egg

Process:

   

1. Place all the above ingredients except the egg in a mixing bowl and mix well.
2. Use your hand to form 4 even size burgers.
3. Have your grill on medium heat (350-400 Degrees F) and grill for approximately 5-6 minutes per side or until done to your liking.
4. Once you place your burgers on the grill, fry your egg in bacon fat on the stove and set aside.
5. You can now plate your burgers how you see fit.  I used romaine lettuce as a base. The Civilized Caveman suggests serving the burger with grilled onions, and topped with the fried Egg. I ate mine topped with guacamole and tomatoes.  
6. Enjoy

Nutritional Info: 381calories, 30.1g fat, 12.2 g sat fat, 96.4mg cholesterol, 458.4 mg sodium, 6.9g carbs, 1.6g fiber, 19g protein

My Favorite Paleo Recipes: Smoky Beef-andMushroom Skewers with Roasted Sweet Potato Puree

There are loads of reasons to be Paleo.  Some people have medical conditions that are lessened by a diet without processed foods, others follow the diet on their path to greater physical fitness and others live a Paleo Lifestyle because it's better for the planet.  I'm paleo to lose weight.  It's low carb but high energy (thanks to being high fat) so I can still be an endurance runner and lose weight.  It's not often that I find a paleo-friendly recipe in a fitness magazine.  The industry of "fitness advice" still hasn't widely recognized the benefits of a Paleo Diet.  But the "whole foods" approach certainly has and so there are recipes out there to be found.

I found this recipe for Smoky Beef-and-Mushroom Skewers with Roasted Sweet Potato Puree in the September issue of Fitness Magazine.  This recipe is easy to make, quick to prep and can impress guests, especially those who think "this paleo thing" is weird.  Who says the Paleo Diet cant' be Haute Cuisine?  I like to serve this with a side of strawberry and arugala salad with a basalmic vinaigrette.

Smoky Beef-and-Mushroom Skewers 

with Roasted Sweet Potato Puree

Serves 4  Prep time: 10 minutes  Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 medium sweet potatoes
• 1 tbsp chipotle chile powder
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1.5 pounds trimmed top sirloin steak, about 1 inch thick, cubed
• 24 cremini or white button mushrooms
• 2 tsp basalmic vinegar

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Slice the sweet potatoes in half length-wise and place cut side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Roast 20 minutes or until they are easily pierced with a fork
2. Meanwhile, heat a grill to medium-high heat.  Combine chipotle chile powder, cumin, and 1 tsp kosher salt; add steak and toss to coat.  Thread steak and mushrooms on 12 skewers and cook for about 8 minutes for medium rare, turning halfway through   
3. Remove sweet potatoes from oven, let cool 5 minutes and peel.  Place peeled sweet potatoes and vinegar in a medium mixing bowl and mash with a fork until smooth.  Season with kosher salt.  Divide mashed potatoes among four plates and top with 3 beek-and-mushroom skewers each.  

Nutrition from magazine: 304 cals, 34g protein, 25g carbs, 8g fat, 2.6g sat fat, 4g fiber, 751 mg sodium

Paleo To Go

Sometimes you don't have time to cook.  I'm a busy mom of 2 tweens.  That means school events, karate lessons, Girl Scout meetings.  Add to that medical appointments, my running addiction and the need to "gather" every few days and sometimes I find myself without the time to cook a meal for myself.  To the rescue are a few health conscious food manufacturers that I rely on to help me stay paleo.  My favorite Paleo to go items include:

LaraBars -  Key Lime Pie, Coconut Creme Pie and Lemon Bar flavors.  Made with dates, cashews, coconut, limes and lemons, they are completely paleo friendly AND yummy!

Planter's Harvest Blend Nuts - No added oils make these nuts a safe choice for snacking.  The high protein and fat ratio in nuts is a must to keep my macros in line.  A 1/4 cup of almonds is usually my first snack of the day to make sure I'm taking in fat and protein before I reach for paleo friendly carbs.

Naked Juice - Stick with the "juices" and stay away from the smoothies if you're strictly paleo.  This is my favorite super market treat when I'm shopping hungry.  The Green Machine variety has both veggies and fruits and it's totally paleo.  I also make icepops out of it at home for when the family is eating ice cream and I want a sweet treat too.

Cheribundi Juice - My new favorite post-race drink.  It's got paleo friendly carbs for refueling, and studies are showing that tart cherry juice contains anti-inflammatory and pain reducing properties.

Rhythm Superfoods Kale Chips - I wrote about these in a previous post.  I stalk my local whole foods store for the Nacho Cheese flavor, which is usually sold out.  They are so good that its really hard to believe that its NOT actual cheese on the kale chips.

As I find more paleo friendly pre-made foods, I will definitely share them with you.

This post was inspired by my friend Michelle's blog: Hospitalmom.  For her, altering the way her family eats has been a necessity after her youngest was born.  Her little one has Short Bowel Syndrome, a condition in which nutrients are not properly absorbed (malabsorption) because a large part of the small intestine is missing or has been surgically removed.  I am amazed and delighted by her little one's voracious appetite.  And I'm honored that some of my posted recipes have made it onto their menus.  

My Favorite Paleo Recipes: Pork Chops with Leeks and Mustard Sauce with Sage and Butternut Squash Soup

I'm still in the middle of race weekend, traveling to San Jose to run the San Jose Rock N Roll Half Marathon.  My family is home in San Diego, eating all sorts of non-paleo goodies that I have been avoiding for the last 58 days.  They're eating pizza and frozen dinners and tacos and french fries.  I hope they're enjoying it!  Just like I hope you enjoy getting TWO of my favorite recipes in ONE post!

Pork Chops with Leeks and Mustard Sauce Found at The Bitten Word

4 servings

Ingredients

    * 4 1 1/2- to 2-inch-thick bone-in heritage pork rib chops
    * 2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
    * 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
    * 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
    * 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    * 2 bacon slices, coarsely chopped
    * Olive oil (optional)
    * 4 cups thinly sliced leeks (white and pale green parts only; about 3 large)
    * 3 garlic cloves, minced
    * 1/4 cup red wine
    * 1 cup low-salt chicken broth
    * 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage
    * 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
    

Preparation

Pat chops dry with paper towels. Mix 2 teaspoons coarse salt, thyme, rosemary, and 1 teaspoon pepper in small bowl. Sprinkle seasoning mixture on both sides of chops. Let stand at room temperature 1 to 2 hours or wrap and chill up to 1 day.

Heat heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add bacon and sauté until crisp and lightly browned. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to small bowl. Increase heat to medium-high. Add chops to skillet. Sear until brown, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer chops to small baking sheet.

Pour off all but 3 tablespoons drippings from skillet (or add olive oil to make 3 tablespoons). Add leeks and sauté until soft, about 7 minutes. Add garlic and stir 1 minute. Add wine, then broth and bring to boil, scraping up browned bits. Return bacon to skillet; add sage and stir to blend.

Nestle chops in leeks in skillet. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover; simmer 3 minutes. Turn chops over. Cover; simmer until thermometer inserted into thickest part of chops registers 140°F to 145°F, about 3 minutes longer. Transfer chops to platter. Tent loosely with foil to keep warm.

Spoon off any fat from cooking liquid in skillet. Boil until all liquid evaporates, about 3 minutes. Whisk in mustard, do not boil. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon over chops.

Nutritional info*: Calories 304  Fat 13.8g  Sat Fat 5.2g  Chol 75.3g  Sod 1701.5g  Carb 14.5g  Fiber 2g  Pro 26g

*All nutritional info was not provided in the original recipe.  I use the Recipe Calculator at Sparkpeople.com to calculate nutritional value.

Sage and Butternut Squash Soup Found at Mastering the Art of Paleo

Serves 8

Ingredients:

• 2 Butternut squash (~6 pounds total)
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2 Tablespoons honey
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 12 Sage leaves
• 2 Tablespoons minced garlic
• Chicken broth
• Pepper to taste

Preparation

Prick squash several times with fork. Roast on a baking sheet for an hour at 400.
Cut squash in half and let cool.
Remove the seeds from the squash, then peel off the skin and discard.
Chop the squash into 2″ chunks.

In a large stockpot, combine olive oil and onion. Cook until onion is translucent, then add honey and garlic. Cook until honey bubbles and onion begins to brown.

Add sage leaves, squash pieces, and enough broth to cover squash by about 1 inch. Let simmer for about an hour, until squash is very soft.

Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth. Add pepper to taste, and more broth for desired consistency.

Nutritional info*: Calories 155  Fat 4.1g  Sat Fat 1g  Chol 2.5g  Sod 490.8g  Carb 31.2g  Fiber  7.4g  

Pro 3g

*All nutritional info was not provided in the original recipe.  I use the Recipe Calculator at Sparkpeople.com to calculate nutritional value.

My Favorite Paleo Recipes: Beasty BBQ Sauce by Civilized Caveman Cooking Creations

I am "recipe dependent" as a good friend once told me.  While I can combine flavors to make simple meals on my own or add ingredients to create variations on a dish, I lack the imagination needed to create a whole new flavor or dish.  But thanks to the Almighty Internet and wonderful people like George at Civilized Caveman Cooking Creations I have a WORLD of Paleo recipes at my fingertips.  Not all recipes turn out to my liking, but sometimes I stumble upon something SO good that it becomes a weekly staple.  The Beasty BBQ Sauce on CCCC is just such a recipe.

And in case you're wondering, we're having this on top of George's Beasty BBQ Babyback Ribs for dinner tonight.

Mise en Place 

Civilized Caveman Cooking Creations' Beasty BBQ Sauce

Makes 4 Cups

Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 60 Minutes

Serving size*: 1/2 cup

Ingredients:

Finished and ready for my ribs

• 3 Tomatoes, Diced
• 1 White Onion, Diced
• 4 Cloves of garlic, Diced
• 1 6 Ounce can of Tomato Paste
• 1 Cup Beef Stock
• 2 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
• 2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 Tbsp Sweet Paprika
• 1 Tsp Sea Salt
• 1 Tsp Cayenne

Process:

1. Combine all ingredients above in a sauce pan and place on stove over medium heat stirring frequently
2. Once your sauce starts to boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 60 minutes
3. Once your sauce has simmered, turn off the heat and pour your sauce into a blender or food processor and run until you get a nice smooth sauce consistency
4. Return to the pan to keep warm or place on the food of your choice

The ONLY changes I made to his recipe were to use a hand blender to puree the sauce once it was done cooking.  I just dislike making MORE dishes to clean AND my food processor is TINY.  Like 3 cup tiny.  I also don't care to add pineapple to my sauce, as he suggests.  I found the sauce to be on the sweet side (with a WHOLE lot of spiciness as well!) without the added fruit and carbs.  I use this sauce on ribs, hamburgers, pulled pork and I love it enough to just dip celery sticks in it too! 

Nutritional info*: Calories 56.5  Fat 2.1g  Sat Fat 0.3g  Chol 0g  Sod 623.1  Carb 8.1g  Fiber 2.0g  Pro 2.1g

*All nutritional info was not provided in the original recipe.  I use the Recipe Calculator at Sparkpeople.com to calculate nutritional value.