Tag Archives: paleo dinners

Dry Rub Burgers and Sweet Potato Rounds

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First – props to Jaden (my six year old) for taking all the photos for this blog post.  You rock J!!  

This dry rub recipe works well on burgers but is also bangin’ on rib eye steaks and probably on chicken too (haven’t tried that yet, but could imagine it would be tasty…)

Also, a big shout out to AJ at www.nutritionize.net for sharing the awesome sweet potato recipe, it’s simply delicious! 

Dry Rub Burgers

1 ½ tbsp chili powder

2 ½ tsp paprika

1 tsp cumin

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

¼ tsp ground white pepper

2 1/2 lbs grass fed ground beef (makes about 7-9 medium sized burgers)

sea salt to taste

Mix all dry rub ingredients together.  Form hamburger meat into patties and cover both sides generously with the dry rub.  Let the burgers sit in the fridge for about 30 minutes before cooking.  Either grill or pan fry about 4 minutes each side for medium, less for rare, more for well… (sprinkle on sea salt once the burgers are in the pan or on the grill).

Sweet Potato Rounds

2-3 yams

3-4 egg whites

21 seasoning blend from Trader Joe’s or Oregon, Thyme, and Garlic Powder

ground black pepper

sea salt

olive oil

Slice sweet potatoes into round discs.  Separate eggs and add as much 21 seasoning spice blend and black pepper as you like.  Dip each sweet potato round into the egg mixture and lay flat on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.  Drizzle the rounds with olive oil and sprinkle on more seasoning – this is key – and then sprinkle on a little sea salt.  Bake at 350 for 30 -40 minutes.  The egg whites make these a little crispy, and I actually finished them under the broiler for about a minute which made them even crispier, but still soft and yummy in the middle. 

Enjoy!!

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

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Here is one of my favorite go to meals that’s always a hit with the family. 

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Chicken mixture

4-5 chicken breasts

3 tbsp of Tamari Wheat Free soy sauce

1/2 cup chicken broth

garlic powder to taste

2 zucchini diced

6-8 mushrooms diced

sesame oil

Condiments

1 head iceberg lettuce cored and leaves removed for wraps

Shredded green or purple cabbage

1 red bell pepper finely chopped

3 green onions chopped

1 can water chestnuts diced

sliced or slivered almonds

2 – 3 carrots finely chopped

I like to cook the chicken in the crock pot on low for 6 hours or until falling apart.  Place the chicken in the crock pot and cover with garlic powder and cover with the soy sauce and chicken broth.  When the chicken is done, shred with a fork or throw it in the food processor and pulse it a few times.  In a large soup pan saute zucchini and mushrooms in a generous amount of sesame oil until the veggies are tender.  Add the shredded chicken and mix well.  Serve the chicken mixture in lettuce leaves and add your condiments.  Top with more sesame oil, hot chili oil if you like, and San-J  makes a good gluten free Thai Peanut sauce if your feeling crazy.  I have made my own  “Thai Peanut Sauce”  with almond butter that’s a tasty substitute as well but these wraps are also great just on their own.

Also pictured is lunch the following day: I sauteed the left over chicken, chopped veggies, and almonds with some left over steamed brussel sprouts that I found in the fridge.  It was a fast and delicious way to make the best of my leftovers!

Enjoy!

Tangy Salad Dressing/Marinade and yes… More Meatballs!!

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The following recipe is a tangy tasty salad dressing but could also be great as a marinade for chicken or fish.  Also you will find another meatball recipe.  This one is so quick and easy and I even made a fast sauce that the kids really liked over their meatballs.

Sun Dried Tomato Salad Dressing

1/2 a jar of sun dried tomatoes

generous amount of olive oil (about 1/2 cup or more if making marinade)

1 big spoonful of capers

juice from 1/2 of a lemon

3-4 garlic cloves

2 sprigs of fresh rosemary

sea salt and black pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth.  I put this over an organic spring lettuce mix salad with some broccoli slaw and 1/2 diced apple.

Meatballs in Minutes

2lbs grass fed ground beef

generous amount of the following: garlic powder, ground marjoram, black pepper, and fresh rosemary

sea salt to taste

Mix all ingredients with your hands.  Form golf ball size meatballs and place in a well oiled skillet over medium heat.  Brown on all sides, cover and steam for 5-6 minutes or until no longer pink in the middle.  Serve alone or with the following sauce.

Sauce

1 can of tomato bisque soup from Trader Joe’s

1/4 cup organic heavy cream

drippings from meatball pan

Whisk all together in a pan and bring to a simmer.  Serve over meatballs if desired.

Also pictured is mashed yams – pressure cook yams for 7 minutes and mash with organic butter, 1/4 cup apple sauce, a dash of nutmeg and ginger, and tons of cinnamon.

Enjoy!

Sirloin Dijon and Brussel Sprouts

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This dish reminded me of beef stroganoff, but better!!  I did use some heavy whipping cream so if you want to stay away from the dairy component in this dish, I would substitute with chicken broth and add more mustard to make it a bit tangier rather then creamy.

Sirloin Dijon

1 1/2 lbs thinly sliced sirloin (I used the pre-sliced sirloin from TJ’s)

1 red onion diced

3 tbsp olive oil

Sea salt and pepper to taste – sprinkle meat in pan while cooking

2/3 cup heavy cream

3 crushed garlic cloves

1 tsp dried tarragon

1 ½ tbsp Dijon mustard

Saute diced onion in olive oil until tender, add sirloin and brown.  While sirloin is browning, sprinkle with sea salt and pepper.  In a separate bowl, mix together heavy whipping cream, garlic, tarragon and mustard.  Pour mixture over the sirloin and bring to a simmer.  Serve immediately.

Brussel Sprouts

Approx 1/2 lb brussel sprouts

1 tbsp dried dill

2 tbsp olive oil

sea salt and pepper to taste

Quarter brussel sprouts and steam for 3-5 minutes.  Saute the steamed sprouts in olive oil until a little crispy and add remaining ingredients, stir and serve.  Yummy!!

Garden Fresh Meatballs

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These meatballs are a great spin on the classic meatball – no need for sauce with these and they are full of fresh garden flavors!   I just made them this morning for the kids to have for dinner and I packed a few for myself to take with me to they gym…  Enjoy!

Garden Fresh Meatballs

1.5 lbs ground turkey

1 lb grass fed ground beef

2 zucchinis

1 yam

2 big handfuls spinach

1 12 ounce jar of roasted red peppers

2 cloves garlic

Sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste

2 eggs

1/4 to 1/3 cup almond meal

Grate zucchini and sweet potato.  In a food processor, finely mince spinach, roasted red peppers, and garlic.  Hand mix all ingredients and form into meatballs (I made mine a little bigger then golf ball size).  Bake at 375 in a large baking dish tightly covered with foil  for 40-45 minutes.  Makes 20-25 meatballs

Pork Loin with Peppers, Mushrooms, N’ Onions

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This meal only took about 20 minutes to prepare and it tasted gourmet - even as my two year old cave boy sat on the table and tore into his piece like it was still trying to get away….

Pork Loin with Peppers, Mushrooms, N’ Onions

2 organic red bell peppers sliced

1 package of sliced porcini mushrooms

1 red onion sliced

1 thinly sliced pork loin

1/2 cup of Kerrygold Pure Irish butter

4 cloves of garlic minced

1/4 – 1/3 cup chicken broth

1-2 tbsp caraway seeds

sea salt and crushed black pepper to taste

2 tbsp of olive oil

In a large saute pan melt the butter and saute the peppers, mushrooms, garlic, and onions until the veggies are tender. Add the chicken broth and bring to a simmer, reduce down until it turns into a thick sauce.  Meanwhile, heat the 2 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat in another saute pan.  Place the thinly sliced pork loin in the oil and season with a little sea salt, black pepper, and caraway seeds. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side and make sure to season both sides of the pork loin.  Serve on a platter topped with the peppers, mushrooms, and onions.

Caraway Chicken With Belgian Endive

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I love food that looks fancy, tastes delicious, and yet is extremely easy to make!!  This dish is just that!!

Caraway Chicken With Belgian Endive

2 lbs boneless chicken thighs

8 strips of cooked and chopped bacon

1 apple sliced

1/2 cup apple juice

2 tbsp caraway seeds

3 Belgian endives

1 tsp sea salt

cracked black pepper to taste

Place chicken thighs in the crock pot and mix with caraway seeds, salt, and pepper.  Slice endives in half lengthwise, remove core, and slice into long strips.  Layer sliced endive on top of the chicken thighs, then sprinkle bacon pieces over the endive, and layer the apple slices on top.  Poor the apple juice over the entire dish and cook on low for 6 hours or until the chicken is tender and falling apart.