Asian flavors · Dairy-free · Gluten Free · Poultry · Salad · Whole30 compliant

Paleo Egg Roll Bowls with Chicken {Whole30, Keto}

From the blog, Paleo Running Momma

Simple yet incredibly delicious, these Paleo Egg Roll Bowls with Chicken are bound to become a new go-to for you! An easy stir fry that tastes just like an egg roll topped with a sesame aioli that you’ll want to put on everything! Whole30 and keto friendly too.

Serves 6

Sesame aioli:
1/2 cup homemade mayo or purchased paleo mayo
2 cloves garlic minced, or 1 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp sesame oil
1 1/2 tsp lime juice
3 tsp hot sauce Whole30 compliant

Egg roll bowls:
1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into pieces or strips
1 1/2 Tbsp avocado oil divided
Sea salt and pepper for the chicken
1/2 tsp onion powder
Pinch cayenne pepper optional
6-7 cups shredded veggies slaw mixture or a combination of shredded cabbage, carrots, brussels sprouts
3 tbsp coconut aminos ( or soy sauce)
1 1/2 Tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp hot sauce
1 bunch scallions thinly sliced white/light green and green parts separated
3 cloves garlic minced
2 tsp ginger fresh, about 1” peeled and grated or minced

Prepare aioli
Whisk together the mayo, garlic, sesame oil, lime or lemon juice, hot sauce, and cayenne, if using until smooth, refrigerate until ready to use.
stir fry the chicken and veggies:
Have all ingredients prepped and ready to go before beginning since the cooking will go fast.

Heat a large nonstick skillet or wok over high heat and add 1 Tbsp of the oil. Sprinkle the chicken with salt, pepper, onion powder, and a dash of cayenne pepper if desired.
Once skillet is smoking hot, add the chicken and cook, stirring to brown evenly, for about 5 minutes or until browned and cooked through, then remove to a plate while you cook veggies.

Lower heat to medium and add 1/2 tbsp of oil. Add the slaw/shredded veggies, cook and stir for about a minute until beginning to soften, then add the white scallions, ginger and garlic.
Cook another minute, then add the coconut aminos/soy sauce, sesame oil, and hot sauce, if using, to the skillet and stir, add the chicken back in, stir to combine well. Remove from heat and garnish with sliced green onion.
Serve in bowls drizzled with the spicy aioli. Enjoy!

Gluten Free · Salad · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

Charred Broccoli Salad With Figs

A high-speed blender will give you the smoothest consistency for the broccoli-tahini purée. You can also use a food processor; the finished purée will just have more texture. This recipe makes more purée than you need, but you can use the hummus-like condiment as a dip for warm pita or raw vegetables, or as a sandwich spread.

Serves 4
2lb. broccoli (about 3 medium heads), ends trimmed, stems peeled
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
½ cup labneh or whole-milk plain Greek yogurt
2 small garlic cloves, finely grated, divided
½ cup coarsely chopped dried figs (such as Turkish or Mission)
Zest of ½ lemon
3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice, divided
1 cup tahini
Small handful of mixed tender herbs (such as mint, tarragon, and/or parsley), leaves torn if large
Sumac (for serving)

Prepare a grill for high heat. Cut broccoli lengthwise into ¼”-thick planks (try to keep crown and stem attached). Toss broccoli planks with oil in a large bowl to coat; season with salt and pepper. Grill, turning occasionally, until charred all over (they’ll look burnt, and that’s a good thing) but stems are still crisp-tender, about 5 minutes; reserve bowl. (Or you can broil broccoli in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet, undisturbed, until well-charred on 1 side, 14–16 minutes.) Transfer broccoli back to reserved bowl and cover tightly and let sit 30 minutes to steam.

Meanwhile, whisk labneh, half of the garlic, and 2 tbsp water in a small bowl until smooth and the consistency of ranch dressing (add more water if needed). Season dressing with salt and pepper.

Cut broccoli into bite-size pieces (about 3″), separating florets from stems as you go. Coarsely chop stems and measure out 1 cup; set aside. Return remaining broccoli to bowl; add figs and 1 tbsp lemon juice. Toss to combine; season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Blend tahini, reserved broccoli stems, remaining garlic, remaining 2 Tbsp. lemon juice, and ½ cup water in a high-speed blender until very smooth and the consistency of a loose hummus. Season purée with salt and pepper.

Spread ½ cup purée on a platter. Top with reserved broccoli salad and spoon dressing over (you won’t need all of it). Scatter herbs, sumac, and lemon zest over.

Do ahead: Dressing can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and chill.

Dairy-free · Gluten Free · Salad · Whole30 compliant

Middle Eastern chopped vegetable salad

This refreshing salad benefits from making few hours earlier so all the flavors can hang out together. These amounts are not rigid and you can “play” with the ingredients as I’ve added some optional ones too. It can be made Whole 30 compliant by leaving out the cheese and getting inventive. Have fun with it!

Serves 4-6
12 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
1.5 cups grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
2 hothouse (English) cucumbers, halved lengthwise, seeded, and ½-inch-diced
1 can or jar (12 to 16 ounces) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/3 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
1/3 cup julienned fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (4 lemons)
1 good tsp Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
2 1/2 tsp roasted ground cumin
2 avocados, slightly firm, so they hold their shape when chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup good olive oil
8-10 oz Greek feta cheese, ½-inch-diced
4-6 Medjool dates, chopped (optional)
1/2 cup chopped, pitted Kalamata olives (optional)
Toasted pita bread, for serving

Place the scallions, tomatoes, cucumber, chickpeas, olives, if using, dates, if using, parsley, mint, basil and 1 1/2 tsp of the cumin in a large salad bowl and toss to combine.

In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the lemon juice, garlic, Dijon mustard, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon pepper and 1 tsp of the cumin. Slowly whisk in the olive oil to make an emulsion. Pour the dressing over the salad, tossing gently to coat all the vegetables.

Add the feta and avocado, sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste and toss gently.
Taste and add whatever you think it needs.
Serve the salad with the toasted pita bread.

Asian flavors · Dairy-free · Gluten Free · Salad · Vegan

Sesame cucumber and avocado salad

Recipe by Hetty McKinnon for the NYT
Something light in this time of heavy Holiday food and expanded waistlines!

Crispy cucumber and creamy avocado perform a delicate dance with earthy notes of sesame in this most simple of salads. Thin-skinned varieties such as Persian or English cucumbers work best, as they are almost seedless with a robust flesh that stays crisp. But don’t worry if you only have access to seedy cucumbers: Peel them if their skins are thick, then cut them in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds before slicing. No-cook and ready in a matter of minutes, this elegant salad can be dressed up according to your mood. It is a satisfying meal on its own, but it can also be served alongside cold soba noodles, or with brown rice and a fried or jammy egg on top.

Serve 4

For the Sesame Dressing
2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1½ tsp soy sauce or Tamari
½ tsp red-pepper flakes
For the Salad
2 ripe avocados
1 pound cucumbers (such as Persian or English), trimmed and thinly sliced
2 green, red or purple scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper
Toasted sesame seeds, for topping

Make the dressing: Place the sesame oil, rice vinegar, sesame seeds, sugar, soy sauce and red-pepper flakes into a small bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of water and whisk until emulsified. Taste, and adjust seasonings. (Dressing should taste acidic, a little sweet and salty.)

When you’re ready to eat, prepare the salad: Halve the avocados and discard the pits. Using a small paring knife, carefully score the avocado flesh into ½-inch cubes, avoiding cutting through the skin. Use a large spoon to scoop out the avocado flesh (in one spoonful, if possible), as close to the skin as possible. Transfer avocado cubes to a large bowl and add the dressing; toss gently.

Add the cucumbers and scallions and toss everything together.
Season with salt and black pepper, top with more sesame seeds, and serve immediately.

Baking · Chocolate · Dessert · Gluten Free · Holiday Food

Flourless chocolate, prune and Armagnac cake

Recipe c/o the wonderful, fail-safe Delia Smith

For the cakes:

6 large eggs, separated
150g golden caster sugar
50g cocoa powder, sifted

For the filling:
400g pitted prunes, soaked overnight (or longer if possible) in 120ml Armagnac
1 level tablespoon crème fraîche

To finish:
150g dark chocolate (75 per cent cocoa solids), broken into pieces
1 level tablespoon crème fraîche

Pre-heat the oven to 350F/ 180°C. Grease 2 x 8″ (20cm) loose-based sandwich tins, 1.5″ (4cm) deep and line the bases with baking parchment.

Place the egg whites in a large, clean, grease-free bowl. Put the yolks in another bowl, along with the sugar, and whisk them until they just begin to turn pale and thicken – be careful not to thicken them too much; they need approximately 3 minutes’ whisking. After that, gently fold in the sifted cocoa powder.

With a clean whisk, beat the egg whites until stiff but not too dry. Using a metal spoon, fold a heaped tablespoon of the egg white into the chocolate mixture to loosen it up a little, then carefully and gently fold in the rest of the egg white, slowly and patiently trying not to lose any air.

Divide the mixture equally between the prepared sandwich tins and bake near the centre of the oven for 15 minutes. They won’t appear to be cooked exactly, just set and slightly puffy and springy in the centre, so when they’re taken out of the oven they will shrink (but that’s normal, so don’t panic). Leave the cakes to cool on a rack in their tins, then slide a palette knife around the edges, gently invert them on to a board and carefully strip off the base papers.

To make the filling for the cake, first of all set aside 10-12 of the largest prunes, then place the rest, plus any remaining soaking liquid, in a food processor, along with the crème fraîche, and whiz to a purée.

Place one of the cakes onto a serving plate and transfer the purée straight from the processor on to one half of the cake, then spread the purée out carefully and place the other half of the cake on top.

For the chocolate topping, place the broken-up pieces of chocolate in a large heatproof bowl, which should be sitting over a saucepan of barely simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Keeping the heat at its lowest, allow the chocolate to melt slowly – it should take about 5 minutes to become smooth and glossy. Then remove it from the heat and give it a good stir, then let the chocolate cool for 2-3 minutes.

Take each one of the reserved prunes and dip it into the melted chocolate so that half of each one gets covered. As you do this place them on a sheet of parchment paper to set. When all the prunes are done, stir the crème fraîche into the chocolate, then use this mixture to cover the surface of the cake.

Spread it over carefully with a palette knife, making ridges with the knife as you go. Decorate the cake with the chocolate prunes. Cover the whole thing with an upturned, suitably sized bowl or cake dome, and keep it in the fridge until about an hour before you need it.

NOTES:

Because the cake is flourless, it is good for coeliac guests, but apart from that it has a wonderful texture – not so much cakey as almost mousse-y. The Armagnac-soaked prunes mean that the cake is never too sweet and has a very definite grown-up feel to it, and it does look spectacular when it arrives at the table. I don’t think it needs to be served with anything, but if you insist, I would serve it with a little creme fraiche.

Asian flavors · Breakfast · Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Rice · Vegan · Vegetable-related

Sticky coconut rice cake with turmeric tomatoes

In this dish from Ixta Belfrage’s ‘Mezcla’ cookbook, sticky coconut rice cakes are served with a delicious turmeric tomato sauce

Notes
I use Thai Taste brand sticky rice, which doesn’t need to be soaked. If you’re using another brand, check the instructions on the side of the packet, as the rice may need to be soaked overnight.
Make ahead
Both parts of the dish can be made the day before and reheated in a warm oven.

SERVES 4

FOR THE RICE CAKE
400g Thai sticky rice (aka glutinous rice or sweet rice), rinsed and drained (see notes above)
400g tin of full-fat coconut milk (at least 70% coconut extract)
250g water
2 small cloves of garlic, finely grated/crushed
2 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
2 spring onions(scallions), very finely chopped
1 1/2 tsp fine salt

FOR THE TURMERIC TOMATOES
400g sweet, ripe cherry tomatoes
15g fresh ginger, peeled and julienned
15g fresh coriander (cilantro), stalks and leaves
3 cloves of garlic, peeled
70g olive oil
2 tsp maple syrup or honey
1⁄2 tsp ground turmeric
1 1⁄4 tsp cumin seeds
1⁄2 tsp fine salt

TO SERVE
2 spring onions, finely sliced
5g fresh coriander
1 lime, cut into wedges

Preheat the oven to 230°C fan/250°C/475F. Line a 23 x 23cm baking tin (or a similar- sized ovenproof dish) with non-stick parchment paper.

Whisk all the ingredients for the rice cake together, making sure to get rid of any lumps of coconut milk. Pour into the prepared tin and flatten the top.

For the tomatoes, put all the ingredients into an ovenproof dish that’s just big enough for them all to fit snugly in a single layer.

Put both dishes in the oven – the tomatoes on the top shelf and the rice on the bottom shelf (or preferably both on the top shelf, if they’ll fit). Bake for 30 minutes. The tomatoes should be soft and slightly charred and the rice should be cooked through and golden-brown on top.

Remove both dishes from the oven. Cover the tomatoes to keep them warm. Leave the rice to rest for 20 minutes. Turn the oven grill to its highest setting.

After 20 minutes, lift the rice cake on to a flat baking tray lined with the paper. Tear away any overhanging parchment that could burn under the grill. Grill for 5–8 minutes near the top of the oven, or until the rice is crisp and golden- brown on top.
All grills are different so this could take more or less time. If you have a blowtorch, use it to crisp up and lightly char the surface a little more.

Leave to cool for 5 minutes before slicing into squares. Serve with the warm tomatoes and garnish with the spring onions (scallions), coriander (cilantro) and lime wedges.

Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Holiday Food · Vegetable sides

Ina’s parsnip puree

Recipe from Ina Garten.
Would be wonderful for the Holidays and can be done ahead of time. Love that!

“This is about as easy as a side dish gets. Parsnips are really delicious and so under-appreciated. It’s the essence of parsnip-ness with just a little butter. So good with any fish, meat, or poultry. —Ina Garten

4 servings

1½ lb. parsnips, scrubbed, sliced ¾” thick
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, diced

Place 1½ lb. parsnips, scrubbed, sliced ¾” thick, in a medium pot, add 1 Tbsp. kosher salt, and add enough water to cover the parsnips.
Cover the pot, bring to a boil, then uncover, lower the heat, and simmer for 15–20 minutes, until the parsnips are very soft when tested with a small knife.
Don’t drain the pot!

With a slotted spoon or small strainer, transfer the parsnips to the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and pulse to chop the parsnips.
Pour the cooking liquid into a glass measuring cup and pour ½ cup down the feed tube. Purée the parsnips, adding more cooking liquid (about 1 cup total) through the feed tube until the parsnips are creamy and almost smooth but still have some texture.
Add 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, diced, and ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper and purée until combined.
Taste for seasonings and serve hot.

Dairy-free · Gluten Free · Salad

Fennel, olive and orange salad

I’ve been tweaking this wonderful salad for a while and finally think I’ve nailed it.
It’s such an beautiful combination of flavors and textures and is super served with a rich main course.

Serves 3-4
1 good-sized bulb fennel
2 juicy, sweet oranges
1/2 red onion
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1-2 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt, approx
1/4 tsp pepper, approx
4 tbsp black olives, pitted and sliced lengthways in half
1 tbsp fresh oregano, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley to garnish

Cut the fennel bulb in quarters, trim the ends and remove the core. Cut in very thin slices. Stop slicing once you get to the greener part and discard the top or use for something else.

Peel the oranges with a knife so that you also remove the membrane on the outside of the flesh part. Cut down by the membranes on each segment to remove the segments without any membrane or white pith on them. Break larger pieces in half and do keep all the juices!

Peel the red onion and finely slice it. Lay the fennel, red onion, orange, olives and oregano on a plate and gently mix together.

Collect any juices from the orange, such as squeezing from the chopped-off membrane, and put them in a small bowl or jar (this is for the dressing).
Add the olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper then whisk or shake together. Taste for seasoning and add whatever you think it’s lacking. Drizzle over the salad.

Top the salad with some torn/chopped parsley and serve.

Dairy-free · Gluten Free · Meat · Whole30 compliant

Bobby Parrish’s easy pulled pork in the instant pot

Serves 6 people

FOR THE PORK
3.5-4.5 pound boneless Boston butt
Spice Rub
1 cup red enchilada sauce
Salt
Avocado oil
Water

FOR THE SPICE RUB
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Make the spice rub by combining all ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Cut the Boston butt into two pieces and season well with spice rub and a generous amount of salt.

Preheat instant pot to high or stove-top pressure cooker to medium-high with 3 tablespoons of avocado oil. Sear one piece of pork until dark and crusty all over, remove from pot and sear the other piece. Once both pieces are seared, add them both to the pot along with the enchilada sauce, and enough water to almost cover them.

Put the lid on the instant pot and set cook time for 1 hour on pressure cook high. For stove-top, once the pressure has come up, cook for 1 hour. After 1 hour is complete, allow the pork to sit in the pot for 1-3 hours then open the lid. The meat will have completely relaxed and will fall apart when shredded.

Shred the pork with two forks and skim the fat off the liquid inside the pot Use some of the liquid to keep the pork moist, it will also add loads of flavor.

Enjoy!

Asian flavors · Dairy-free · Gluten Free · Soup

The best miso soup

Recipe By Eric Kim for the New York Times

“In the United States, especially in Japanese American restaurants, the standard version of miso soup usually involves little more than soft tofu, seaweed and a lily-pad suspension of scallions. Think of this recipe as your blank canvas: You could add thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms at the end, or replace the katsuobushi entirely with dried shiitakes for a vegan version. Fried tofu, clams and even chicken are all fair game when cooking miso soup at home. The chef Seiji Ando, of Benkay restaurant in Portland, Maine, adds sake and mirin for balance, and says even a tiny bit of butter can be delicious.”

Serves 4
1 (5-inch) square kombu (dried kelp)
1 tbsp sake
1 tbsp mirin
5 g wakame (dried seaweed), crushed (¼ cup)
2 cups loosely packed katsuobushi (often labeled “bonito flakes”)
1 (14-oz) package silken tofu, drained
¼ cup miso (white or red; see Tip), plus more to taste
1 large scallion, thinly sliced

Step 1
Make dashi, the soup base, by soaking kombu in 4 cups of cold water for 15 minutes in a medium pot. Add the sake and mirin and bring to a simmer over high heat. As soon as the water starts to boil, take the pot off the heat, cover and let the kombu steep until the liquid smells like the sea, about 15 minutes.

Step 2
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, soak the wakame in about 3 inches of cold water until soft, about 15 minutes as well. Drain and set aside.

Step 3
When ready to serve, remove the kombu from the pot (see Tip). Stir the katsuobushi into the kombu broth, cover and let steep for 1 minute. Strain into a medium bowl, pressing down on the katsuobushi to extract all of the liquid; discard the spent flakes. This is your dashi.

Step 4
Return the dashi to the pot and add the drained wakame. Scoop the tofu into the pot using a spoon or your hand, leaving it in large chunks. Bring the soup to a boil, then remove from the heat.

Step 5
Add the miso to a small bowl, then ladle over some of the broth and stir to dissolve. Add the dissolved miso to the pot and gently stir until incorporated. Add the scallion, taste for seasoning (adding more miso if you’d like) and serve immediately.

Tips
White, or shiro, miso is made with a higher proportion of rice, which lends a milder, sweeter flavor, whereas red, or aka, miso, is made with more soybeans, resulting in a bolder, more umami-rich taste and a darker color as well.
You can discard the simmered kombu or thinly slice it into strips and add to pastas, soups, stews and salads for added vegetal heft.