Kale, Strawberry, Avocado Salad w/Chia Citrus Dressing

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Once again, a recipe that isn’t really a recipe!  However, kale is super easy to grow and strawberry season is around the corner.  If this salad convinces you to grow some kale or eat some organic berries, then my job here is done.  Since I am a crazy person in the kitchen, I don’t measure anything.  You shouldn’t either.  You know what you like, give yourself enough to have multiple elements in every bite and a little extra of the things you enjoy the most. That wasn’t technical, but it works everytime. Kale (or any winter green) is bitter, so you need some sweetness and some acid to balance it out.  The strawberries could be switched for whatever fruit you have on hand.  The lemon in the dressing could be switched for your favorite vinegar.
Kale, Strawberry, Avocado Salad w/Chia Citrus Dressing
Ingredients:
kale, stems removed and leaves chopped
organic strawberries, hulled, halved
avocado, diced
a couple glugs of EVOO
juice of half a lemon
zest of a lemon
pinch of salt and pepper
dollop of honey
1/4 tsp chia seeds
Directions:
Chop all the salad ingredients into bite size pieces and toss together.  Whisk all the dressing ingredients together and pour over salad.  Kale is hearty, so even a dressed salad can store nicely in the fridge.

Lemon Cheesecake

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Can you believe that I created this recipe months ago and totally forgot to share it?!  I’ve been busy that past 5 months to say the least!  I didn’t embrace lemon desserts in my younger years, but I have learned to not only embrace them, I LOVE LEMON DESSERT!  To me, its the perfect balance between bright and rich.  Since you all know how I feel about cheesecakes that don’t use cream cheese, you don’t have to ask why this dessert is “primal.”  This is one of my favorite cheesecake recipes I’ve ever come up with, so I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
Lemon Cheesecake
Crust ingredients:
3/4 stick butter
2 1/4 cup almond flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp honey
1/4 tsp salt
Filling ingredients:
3 blocks of cream cheese (Room Temp!)
1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 Tbsp tapioca
zest from 2 lemons
3/4 cup honey
4 eggs
Directions:
Mix all the crust ingredients together in the food processor, and press into a springform pan.  Bake for 10 mintues at 325F.
Place a dish with water on the bottom rack.
While the crust is cooling, whip the cream cheese until its creamy and smooth. Add the rest of the ingredients one at a time until it’s all combined and pour over the crust. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes. Then turn off the oven and let it continue to sit in the oven for another hour. Get out of the oven and let cool to room temp before placing in the fridge to set and cool. Serve!

Tomato, Avocado, Cucumber Salad

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Right now my cherry tomato plants are going a little too crazy! I planted three different kinds in addition to a roma tomato plant, so I could have homemade tomato sauce frozen throughout the winter. I had no idea my plants would get so big! I am getting a shirt-full of cherry tomatoes every single day. I haven’t made any sauce yet, but this salad was a great opportunity to use some up along with cucumber that I know everyone has growing like crazy, too. I used basil as the herb because I have tons of that in my garden and from the CSA, but you could easily use cilantro, parsley, dill, etc. This salad is fresh, slightly creamy from the avocado, and perfect for a summer side dish! It stays nicely in the fridge for a couple days but will have some browning of the avocado and basil, so if you are making it for an occasion, make this dish the day of.

Tomato, Avocado, Cucumber Salad

Ingredients:

  • 1 cucumber, cut into bite size chunks
  •  2 avocados, diced
  •  2 cups of cherry tomatoes, cut in half
  •  1 sweet onion (I used one like a giant green onion but you could use a quarter red onion)
  •  juice from one lemon
  •  Olive oil drizzled over the top
  •  salt and pepper to taste
  •  Basil cut into thin strips and garnished on top

Directions:

Add all the chopped veggies into a serving bowl, add the lemon and olive oil and toss to coat. Just before serving, add salt, pepper, and basil.

Fennel and Tomato Pork Chops

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IMG_0859

This dish represents a lot of cooking technique that everyone should learn.  Once you learn some basics, you can sub any protein, and veggies, and any spices to suit your palate. I happen to also love this dish because it incorporates fennel, which most people have never tried.  I’m a big proponent of trying new things, so if you have never tried it, here’s your fool-proof chance! If you have a big family, just multiply the recipe for your needs.

Searing the meat gives nice carmelization which lends tons of flavor.  Deglazing the pain picks up all those flavors and let the deglazing liquid reduce and intensify in flavor.  Add herbs is the key to making a dish packed full of flavor and looking pretty!  You eat with you eyes first.  Add chopped parsley to the top of anything and it instantly looks more appetizing!

Fennel and Tomato Pork Chops

Ingredients:

  • 2 pork chops
  • 1 bulb fennel plus the fronds (which are the top green tassle-like things), sliced
  • 1 can tomatoes
  • 1 shallot, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup dry red wine
  • 1/2 cup parsley, chopped
  • zest from one lemon
  • salt and pepper

Directions:

Over high heat, melt oil until hot.  Season both sides of the pork chops generously with salt and pepper.  When the oil is hot, sear both sides of the chops until a nice brown crust forms (about 2 minutes each side). Once seared, remove the chops from the pan and put in the fennel, shallots, and half the parsley.  Saute for 5 minutes.  Deglaze the pan by pouring in your wine and scraping the brown bits from the bottom.  Add the tomatoes and stir.  Nestle back in the pork chops into sauce and reduce heat to medium.  Let cook for another 12-15 minutes.  Take out the pork chops and add in the remaining parsley, lemon zest, and another generous seasoning of salt and pepper.  Serve!

 

Paleo Truffles: 1 batch, 3 flavors

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truffles

I made one batch of truffles this year but decided to split the chocolate into three different kinds because it makes a lot!  I decided on these 3 flavors: lemon pepper, espresso, and almond.  I know what you’re thinking, lemon pepper?  Ang, you’ve gone off the deep end!  But let me tell you.  I saw a dark chocolate bar at Walgreens one day that was lemon pepper and thought to myself how interesting that it.  So, I bought one and I was INSTANTLY addicted!  The problem?  It had some ingredients that I would like to avoid.  That’s where the truffle idea came in!  Everyone that I have forced to taste it has said “Hmm, that’s REALLY good!”  Give it a chance. ;)

Basic truffle: (basic from Primal Blueprint Cookbook, flavor ideas were my own)

Ingredients:

  • 1 can full fat coconut milk
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil
  • 5 Lindt 70% chocolate bars broken into pieces (it’s 500g, each bar is 100g but you can have the same measurement with a different bar as long as it equals 500g)

Directions:

Place coconut milk and coconut oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring until coconut oil is melted and mixture comes to a boil. Do not let it go to a rolling boil.  Remove from heat.

Off heat, add chocolate pieces to the milk mixture and stir until it is completely melted.  Continue stirring until the chocolate thickens and cools a bit.

In three different bowls, put 1/3 of the chocolate each.

Lemon pepper: 1/8tsp lemon extract, zest of one lemon, 1/8 tsp pepper

Espresso: 1-2 Tbsp espresso powder, 1/8 tsp vanilla

Almond: 1/8 tsp almond extract

Stir the flavoring in. Transfer to a shallow dish for faster cooling, then to the refrigerator. Let mixture thicken at least 2 hours, stirring 3 to 4 times as it cools and thickens. Place whatever outer mixture you would like in a shallow dish. (I have used cocoa powder, chopped nuts, shredded coconut, etc)  Remove the chocolate from the fridge when it is in a clay consistency.  Form into balls and roll in the covering!  Put in the fridge and consume within a week or freeze up to a month!

Apple Cider Cocktail

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apple cider and gin

You know what makes gatherings feel extra special?  Special food and drink to share!  I’m always posting food, but occasionally I like to throw a drink in there, too.  I have a confession.  I am a drink snob.  Wine is always a go-to out; however, when it comes to mixed drinks, it’s really hard to find any without sugary mixers.  Yuck.  So, when there is a good cocktail on the menu, I have to try it.  Recently I went to Rocky River Tap in Granger…JUST FOR THE COCKTAIL!  I was secretly hoping for Pumpkin Cheesecake to be on the menu too, but no such luck.  So, Apple Cider and Bourbon cocktail it was!  It was good, warming, spicy, and reminded me of fall.  My guess is that the cider they used was pasteurized because all of them at the store are, but it was worth the flavor inspiration!

I have apples to spare.  So, I made my own cider by juicing 3 apples or so for 2 drinks.  It was fresh, crisp, and perfect for some gin.  I’ve been on a gin kick.  Nothing heightens flavors like lemon either.  So, instead of bitters, I added lemon rind to the glass.  My new favorite fall drink.  You could make a big batch ahead of time and serve at a party, too!

Apple Cider Cocktail

  • 3 parts apple cider
  • 1 part gin
  • twist of lemon rind

Paleo Lemon Curd

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We are doing a challenge at our gym right now which requires me to post what I eat everyday.  I’ve noticed that the last few posts have had lemon curd in them and I can’t help but wonder if people think I’m weird?!  I’m sure they do.  However, I decided I needed to post this recipe for everyone to try.  It is packed with fat soluble vitamins and pairs amazing with fresh summer fruit.  Once you try it, you won’t think it sounds weird anymore!!!

Paleo Lemon Curd (this is derived from the nourishing gourmet)

  • 6 egg yolks (save the whites for macaroons, or smoothies, or an egg white omelette)
  • 1/4-1/3 cup honey
  • 1 Tbsp lemon zest (1-2 lemons worth)
  • 1/2 cup lemon juice (fresh squeezed, about 3-4 lemons)
  • 6 Tbsp grassfed butter (you could use coconut oil but I haven’t tried it)

Directions:

In a medium enamel or stainless steel bowl, whisk together the yolks, the honey, the zest, and the lemon juice.  Once combined, Put the enamel pot over medium heat or put the stainless steel bowl over another pot of boiling water (essentially a double boiler).  Continue to whisk as you add chunks of the butter little by little until well incorporated and smooth.  Continue to keep over heat while whisking until it thickens up a bit.  Take off heat.  Place in the fridge for a few hours or over night and then enjoy over fresh berries! (or cheesecake….)

I have made this with a combo of lemon and grapefruit since I had some grapefruit to use up and it was fantastic.  You could use any citrus you’d like…orange….lime.  I just happen to love lemon.  If you decide to switch it up or do a combo, just make sure to use zest from whatever fruits you are using.  I’m assuming most of you won’t try to make this…so I will probably try to make a batch for the next crossfit get together so everyone can try it out and see what they have been missing!!!

Paleo Lemon Pancakes: A Lesson in Chemistry

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I love making pancakes on the weekend and lemon pancakes in particular are one of my favorite.  I always tell people to switch up my other pancake recipes to try new flavors based on what’s in season, but I have a hunch that no one does. ;(    People get scared to switch the recipe ingredients! So, I am writing this to ensure that you try these lovely pillows of goodness. The chemical reaction that happens with the baking soda and lemon juice creates bubbles which result in that buttermilk pancake texture that everyone is so familiar with!  If you like lemon, you will not be disappointed.  It almost makes me think of Forest Gump and the shrimp thing….lemon larabars, lemon shortbread, lemon pancakes, lemonade….mmmmm!

Paleo Lemon Pancakes

makes 6 pancakes (double if you have kids or a heavy appetite!)

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup tapioca flour
  • 1/4 cup coconut flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup lemon juice (about juice from 2 lemons, top off with water if you need to in order to get 1/2 cup)
  • zest from 2 lemons
  • 1 dash vanilla
  • 1 pinch salt

Directions:

Whish dry ingredients together.  Then whisk in eggs (this forms a pasty dough). Add the lemon juice and whisk (this produces bubbly effervescence!  I don’t remember why from chemistry but my guess is that the baking soda and lemon juice are reacting.  This is what makes the light and fluffy texture.)  Add vanilla and salt.  Fold in the lemon zest.

Heat a skillet over medium heat and add fat of choice so the pancakes don’t stick.  Cook until bubbles start forming on the outer ring.  Flip and cook for a couple minutes on the other side.  Drizzle with pure maple syrup or blueberry sauce!