Red Beans 'n Greens w/ Spaghetti Squash

Eating mostly a vegan diet these days, this dish has become one of my favorites. The beans 'n greens are a main dish for me, but this could also be a good side dish. The spaghetti squash adds some lovely color to the meal and some varying textures. These two just seem to go well together, but you could easily do one without the other.





Red Beans 'n Green Ingredients:


1 c. small red beans (dry)
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 tomato (any kind, any size), diced
1 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. sea salt or Himalayan salt
1 bunch dark leafy greens (kale, collards, chard, etc.), chopped or shredded
2 Tblsp. coconut milk


Directions:


Soak beans for a few hours or overnight. If you don't do this, add an extra 30 mins to the intial cooking time.


Rinse beans and put in a large pot with some fresh water (enough to cover, but not too much). Cook for 30 mins (or more if you didn't soak).

Add onion, tomato and turmeric. Cook another 30 mins.



Add greens. Cook another 20 mins or so.



If it looks too watery, spoon out the excess. Now add the coconut milk and cayenne.



EAT!!





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Spaghetti Squash Ingredients:

spaghetti squash (any size)
olive oil
Herbes de provence
dried basil
dried oregano
Sea salt/pepper to taste (optional)



Directions:



Preheat oven to 375 F. Cut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out guts with a spoon. Place cut-side down on a cookie sheet with foil. Bake for about 45 minutes.



Remove from oven; turn over squash and let cool a bit. With a fork, remove strands into a large bowl. Mix in desired amounts of herbs. You can't really get it wrong, so just eyeball it.



The "cutie" in the picture is optional. Another great side dish is roasted beets. It's adds even more color and texture into the mix. I'm getting hungry just typing this.


ENJOY!

Grilled Scallops and Veggies on a bed of Baby Spinach

To whet your appetite



I hope to get all this right. See, while my husband was busy making me a 5-star meal, I was actually sweating away to "The Bourne Supremacy" doing a long drills session on the trainer. It smelled really good, though.

Last week we got scallops at Henry's, and Justin paired those with yellow squash, zucchini, asparagus, baby spinach, and red onion to make a super savory meal. I think it all took less than an hour, also.

No leftovers, sadly! Except a few slices of squash and zucchini.

Ingredients:

1-2 yellow squash
1-2 zucchini
1 bunch of asparagus
1lbs of scallops
1-1.5 lemons (fresh, but the pre-packaged juice is probably also fine)
Olive oil
1 clove of garlic
Garlic powder
Seafood seasoning (or similar)
Organic no salt seasoning (or similar)





First, slice the squash and zucchini into grillable units



Marinade (I'd say 20-30 minutes is probably fine) the scallops in olive oil with the seafood seasoning, lemon juice, and a bit of garlic powder



Marinade the asparagus with olive oil, organic no salt, and garlic powder, along with a few splashes of lemon juice



Press, or finely chop, your garlic and put in a frying pan on the stove with olive oil to lightly cook the baby spinach and onions in a bit





Grill, for just a few minutes a side, the squash and zucchini



Cook the baby spinach, garlic, and onion medium heat on the stove for probably 10 or so minutes (watch it and remove from heat once done to your preference)



Grill the asparagus, turning to even done-ness



Grill scallops for about 3-4 minutes a side to ensure even cooking



Serve for your loved one!

(Pretty much) Paleo Baked Flank Steak with Veggies

You may ask how Justin and I came to be baking flank steak with veggies (if you aren't, feel free to skip to the recipe), but it's because one of my favorite meals as a kid was "snotty steak". So named by my sister as a child because it's flank steak, covered with powdered onion soup, baked wrapped up in tin foil. When it comes out of the oven, it smells heavenly, but the topping looks like, well... to a kid!

The powdered onion soup has enough added salt to make it decidedly un-paleo, so a few weeks ago Justin came up with his own concoction.

The recipe itself is somewhat subjective, but last night we baked two (leftovers!). We get flank steak in a pack from Costco of either 2 or 3. We got 3, so froze one and baked the two others. Word of caution here... I've only ever previously baked one, and usually 1.5-2 hours is plenty. When baking two, together, that's barely enough time.

Ingredients:

1 flank steak (1lbs~)
2-3 sweet/bell peppers (one color, or a variety depending on your tastes)
1 onion (red, white, sweet, etc. as you prefer)
1 clove of garlic
garlic powder/dried onions or onion powder/Montreal Steak (NOTE: this is what makes it somewhat un-paleo: Montreal Steak Seasoning has a large amount of salt included, so use only a small amount, or omit/replace) or similar seasoning/olive oil/black pepper/chili powder all to taste, basically

Slice/chop the peppers and onion, and have the garlic prepped either chopped or ready to be pressed





Lay out flank steak(s) on a bed of foil. I typically wrap in 3 layers. It needs to be in there pretty good, but if you feel excessive then try 2? Fully covered/encompassed and closed up is best.



Cover with about 2/3 of the pressed or chopped garlic and the onions



Add the seasoning. If you prefer a lot of flavor, add more. It's really subjective, but heaps and heaps of seasoning probably aren't best. Just spread around evenly across the top of the steak to tenderize and flavor.

Cover with the peppers and a bit of olive oil drizzled lightly



Close up concoction in the foil by folding the layers



I bake in the oven typically starting around 315F for about 30 minutes, then I turn down to about 275F for 30 minutes or so, and then turn back up to about 300F for the last 30 or so. This is the most rare I've ever had this, and I chalk it up to the extra steak in the same foil "packet".

In the meantime, I highly suggest a tasty red as you go about your business



After about 90 minutes it should be smelling delish and ready to eat!

Open "packet", slice and serve!

Apple Butter

See directions for step by step pictorial

So, what exactly is apple butter? First of all, there is no butter or dairy in it. Rather, it seems to take the name from it's smooth texture (and spreadability on all sorts of delicious treats). This dish takes patience, but with a crock pot, you have to check on it very little. I'd rather spend the extra time and know what went into my food (and when it was made). Also, many store-bought brands have an enormous amount of added sugar.

This recipe made ~5 cups of apple butter, which is a lot. It's great for handing out to friends in small plastic containers, and I'm imagining it would freeze fairly well. The websites I consulted said that apple butter should last for ~2-3 months in the refrigerator.

Most of the recipes I looked at had a TON of sugar (4 cups for 5 lb of apples!?! Crikey!), so I cut that way down. It is possible to make it with no added sugar and would be just as delicious. I also used as many different apples as I could find (the checkout girl at Henry's looked at me kind of funny as she rang up at least 12 different types of apples).

Also, you do not NEED a crock pot to make the apple butter, but it will take more minding on the stove to stir and make sure the apples do not burn. I stirred occasionally and had no problems.

Ingredients:

18 assorted apples, peeled and finely chopped
2 tsp ground cinnamon
5 whole cloves (or 1 tsp cloves)
1 tsp nutmeg
1 cup sugar (1/2 raw cane or white, 1/2 brown)...would be fine with even less or none at all

Equipment:

Sharp knife
Vegetable peeler
Cutting board
Crock pot
Food processor (it's do-able without one, just slower)
Bamboo skewers or butter knives

Directions:

1. Peel, core, and rough chop apples.


2. Use a food processor to finely chop apples (or chop finely by hand).

3. Put apples in crock pot. Add sugar and spices. Mix.

Prior to cooking

4. Cook apples on HIGH for 1 hour.

5. Reduce heat to LOW. Cook for 10 hours. (I did this overnight)

6. After 10 hours, keep heat on low, but vent pot so moisture will escape. To do this, prop bamboo skewers or butter knives on top of the crock pot and lay the lid on top. Cook for 2 more hours.

After 10 hours (note the amount of moisture still remaining)

Venting the crock pot

7. At this point, the apples should be a rich, dark brown color. They can be smashed to a smooth consistency using a whisk, food processor, or immersion blender, or left as is.

After 2 hours of cooking with vented lid...notice the color difference

Smooth like, uh, buttah :)

Note: I used whole cloves and did not remove them prior to the final spin in the processor. I couldn't even tell.

Mediterranean-Style Greens

If you are like me, dark leafy greens used to be somewhat of a mystery. Being a northeasterner who ate a pretty blah diet growing up, the mere mention of turnip greens (?!) gave me terrible thoughts. Dark leafy grains are super healthy, however, and contain several important vitamins. Trader Joe's makes this easy by having a pre-washed bag of greens all chopped up and ready to use (and p.s....they are delicious).


The flavors in this dish are savory and work well together. Though I have never been to the Mediterranean (yet), there is something about this dish that feels familiar. As always, since this is cooking, not baking, feel free to change quantities, swap out ingredients, etc.

This is a variation of a Trader Joe's recipe. It is not truly Paleo (olives and artichokes are both in brine, hence the extra salt), but in moderation or omitting those items would be a good compromise.

Ingredients:

Olive oil
Black pepper
2-3 cloves garlic, crushed or chopped
3-4 Roma tomatoes, cut into strips
4 oz. white wine (not cooking wine...water could be used instead of wine)
1 bag Trader Joe's Southern Greens (mustard, turnip, collard, spinach mix)
1 lb raw shrimp, peeled
1 can artichoke hearts, quartered (optional)
Kalamata olives, sliced (optional, as garnish)

In a very large skillet on medium-high heat:

1. Pour ~1 tbsp olive oil (I never measure this so it's just an estimate).
2. Add pepper, garlic, Roma tomatoes and artichokes, cooking ~5 minutes until tomatoes soften.
3. Add greens and white wine. Depending on the size of the pan, not all the greens may fit. They will cook down, though, so you may want to add them a little at a time.
4. Cover and simmer until the greens are wilted, ~10 minutes.
5. Add raw shrimp. Cook ~5 minutes more until the shrimp are pink.
6. Garnish with sliced olives if you wish.

Note: This dish is easily served vegetarian. You can also spoon the greens over cooked pasta if you are not following Paleo. The original recipe called for 1 cup of chicken stock, which is usually loaded with salt so I substituted wine, but you can make it without any alcohol by using some water to moisten the greens as they cook. If you are not eating Paleo, this is also good with shaved Parmesan cheese. This would easily serve 4 people especially with a side salad. Also, I never buy cooked shrimp...the texture is too rubbery for me. Yes, it takes an extra few minutes to shell the raw shrimp, but it's worth it.

Thai Lettuce Wraps

Adapted from www.marksdailyapple.com

These wraps are so full of flavor and simple to make. The dipping sauce is amazingly flavorful. I recommend doubling the sauce so you can use it to top eggs, dip raw veggies in, etc.

Lean protein (chicken breasts, pork, beef, fish or shellfish would work fine)
Romaine lettuce leaves (Trader Joe's has awesome pre-washed leaves)
Carrots, shredded or julienned
Cherry tomatoes or tomatoes, chopped
Cucumber, julienned or thinly sliced
1/2 bunch cilantro
2 cloves garlic
1/4 c. raw cashews
Cumin, 1/2 tsp
2 scallions
2 tbsp honey
4 tbsp white vinegar
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Dates (2) or tamarind paste (recipe called for tamarind but said you could sub dates...was fine)
1/4-1/3 c. olive oil

To make the lettuce wraps:
Prep the veggies. Anyway you prefer to prep (shred, chop, food process) them would be fine.

Cook the lean protein. I seared/pan "fried" the chicken, then sliced it up thin.

To make the sauce:
In a blender or food processor, combine the cilantro, garlic, cashews, cumin, and scallions. Pulse until finely chopped. Into a microwave safe container, combine the honey, vinegars and dates/tamarind. Cook on high for ~20-30 seconds (enough time to warm the honey and make it easy to pour). Pour the honey/vinegar mixture into the food processor and process until smooth. Add the olive oil (I cut this amount down from the original, which called for 1/2 cup). Hand mix so the oil does not emulsify.

Assemble your lettuce wraps by placing meat and veggies into the lettuce leaf, then topping with the sauce. Yum! There are many variations of this that you could make with different veggies, etc.

Holiday Cranberry Scones

I love this recipe because it's a much healthier version of regular scones. The best part is, they are equally delicious as traditional scones, if not moreso. This recipe is adapted from Kardena Pauza's Easy Veggie Meal Plans. If you prefer the raw version, you can dehydrate these for about 12 hours instead of baking them.

Scone ingredients:
2 cups almond meal
½ c. dried cranberries or other dried fruit bits
½ c. coconut oil
½ c. flaxseeds ground into meal (or ¾ c. ground flaxseeds)
¼ c. honey, agave, or maple syrup (I used raw honey)
1 tsp. orange zest
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt

Honey “Butter” Spread ingredients:
¼ c. coconut oil
1 Tbsp. honey (or agave nectar)
dash of salt
dash of turmeric for color (optional)

Mix by hand in a small bowl with a fork. Store at room temperature. It’s ready to spread on the scones!

Directions

1. Place almond meal in a large mixing bowl and combine with ground flaxseed, coconut oil, cranberries, orange zest, honey, cinnamon and salt. Mix together with your hands.

2. Once everything is mixed well, form a 1-inch thick tubular log.

3. Take a pastry scraper, butcher knife or other hard/flat surface and flatten the loaf to the desired thickness. Remember, the mixture itself will not rise when baked, so flatten it to your desired “scone thickness.”

4. Cut the scone loaf into triangular shapes, place on baking sheet and let bake in oven on low for about 2 hours. The exact temperature is not very important – just use one of the lowest settings on your oven.

5. Remove from oven and let cool to room temperate. Spread on the honey “butter” spread (below) and enjoy!

Yield: about 8 scones