We have been living a “Whole30” lifestyle as much as possible for three months and will continue to do so as it has been incredibly beneficial for our health and weight.
I have let you know which recipes of mine are Whole30 compliant to make life a little easier.
http://whole30.com
This soul-warming dish is hearty without being heavy. Perfect for a cool autumn evening.
Recipe by Joe Piccirillo
Start to Finish: 20 minutes
Servings: 4
4 boneless, skinless halibut fillets (6 oz. each)
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 can (13.5 oz.) unsweetened coconut milk
2 scallions, finely chopped (about 1/4 cup)
1 tbsp. finely chopped fresh lemongrass
1 tsp. lime zest, plus 1 tbsp. juice
1 tsp. grated peeled fresh ginger
1 tsp. grated or crushed garlic
4 cups chopped, stemmed kale (from 1 bunch)
Sliced red chil1, for garnish
Season the fish.
In nonstick skillet, cook the fish in oil over medium-high heat until flaky, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to plate.
In the same skillet, add coconut milk, scallions, lemongrass, lime zest and juice, ginger, and garlic; season.
Bring to simmer. Cover; cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Add the kale. Cover; cook for about 1 minute. Arrange the fish on top of sauce.
Cover; cook until kale is tender and fish is heated through, 1 to 2 minutes.
Garnish with the chili.
This is incredibly light and refreshing and a brilliant starter on a hot summer’s day when entertaining.
Recipe from Alain Passard
This is a recipe that doesn’t really need amounts. You eyeball it and go with your gut.
Large cucumber, unpeeled and very thinly sliced, preferably using a mandolin.
Kiwifruit, not too ripe. Skin sliced off and then slice the fruit very thinly
Lemon olive oil
Fresh basil, younger, smaller leaves preferably
New onion hoops, either large scallions or another mildish onion sliced very thinly
fleur de sel
Overlap the cucumber and kiwifruit like fine petals, gloss with the lemon olive oil, add the finely sliced onion, sprinkle with a little fleur de sel and little basil leaves.
Voila! Stand back and look at the beauty on the plate
I made this recipe tonight, adapted from Yotam Ottolenghi’s recipe and it’s absolutely wonderful with such interesting flavors. Well worth trying!
Serves 4-6
1 large butternut squash (around 2lbs worth), cut into 1/2″ by 3″ wedges
2 red onions, cut into eighths or 1/2″ wedges
6 tbsp plus 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3.5 tbsp tahini, or more as needed
3 tbsp water, or more as needed
1.5 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 large clove garlic, minced
2oz raw pine nuts
1 tbsp za’atar
3 tbsp coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling
Warm a serving platter.
Position a baking rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees.
In a large bowl, combine the squash and onion and 6 tablespoons of the olive oil, 1 tbsp Kosher salt, 6 good twists of the pepper grinder, and toss to combine.
Spread the vegetables out on a large, rimmed baking sheet and roast for about 35-40 minutes, or until the vegetables have taken on some color and are cooked through with a little char. (Keep an eye on the onion: If it starts to burn before the squash is cooked, you may need to remove it before the squash.
Remove from the oven.
While the vegetables are roasting, in a small bowl, whisk together the tahini, water, lemon juice, garlic and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt until the sauce is the consistency of honey. You might need to add more water or tahini, depending on the consistency.
In a small skillet over medium-low heat, heat the remaining 1 teaspoon of oil until shimmering. Add the pine nuts and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and cook, stirring often until the nuts are golden brown, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer to a small plate to cool. Keep the oil too
To serve, spread the vegetables out on the warmed serving platter and drizzle with the tahini sauce. Sprinkle the pine nuts and their oil on top, and garnish with the za’atar and parsley. Sprinkle with a little flaky sea salt and serve.
Once you have made this ridiculously easy and gorgeous tasting mayonnaise, you won’t want to buy the commercial ones again. You can also play around with the recipe and add fresh herbs or any other flavorings. Enjoy!
2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
1-2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice or white wine vinegar (or a mixture of the two)
2 pinches white sugar
1 tbsp Dijon mustard OR 1 tsp mustard powder
½ tsp Kosher salt
¼ tsp white pepper (optional) or a pinch ground pepper
3/4 cup light olive oil, safflower or canola oil
(**To make aioli, add 1 minced garlic clove to the egg mixture, and substitute extra virgin olive oil for the other oil.)
Add all of the ingredients to the jar that came with your stick blender adding the oil last
Let the ingredients settle for a minute or two with the oil separating on top
Place the stick blender inside the container (firmly on the bottom) and covering the egg yolk
Turn it on and keep it pressed against the bottom of the jar for at least 10-15 seconds. Once the mayonnaise starts to emulsify and thicken, slowly move the stick blender up and down to fully combine the ingredients.
Once it’s all blended, remove the stick blender. Give it a few stirs with a spoon and place in a storage container in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh for up to one week.
Cutting the leeks into rounds is an update on the classic presentation—and makes them easier to serve to a crowd.I adore leeks and this is a super recipe that’s not as rich as creamed leeks
1 cup walnuts
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
6 large leeks, tough outer layer removed
1 garlic clove, finely grated
¼ cup white wine vinegar
1 tbsp plus 1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp plus 1 tsp whole grain mustard
⅓ cup coarsely chopped tarragon
Freshly ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 350°. Toast walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing once, until golden brown, 6–8 minutes. Let cool, then coarsely chop. Transfer to a small bowl and toss with oil; season with salt.
Trim root ends of leeks and 1″ from the dark green tops. Cut leeks into ½”-thick rounds (the dark green parts won’t be rounds, but that’s okay). Rinse well.
Cook leeks in a large pot of boiling salted water until meltingly tender, 12–15 minutes. Transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain and pat dry.
Whisk garlic, vinegar, and Dijon and whole grain mustards in a small bowl; season vinaigrette with salt.
Arrange leeks on a platter; drizzle with vinaigrette and let sit at least 10 minutes (the longer, the better).
Just before serving, scatter walnut mixture over leeks and top with tarragon and lots of pepper.
Do Ahead: Leeks (without walnut mixture and tarragon) can be marinated 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before serving.
“This is a simple tray-baked chicken dish – the sort of food I absolutely love to eat. As everything cooks together in one tray, all the beautiful flavors get mixed up. This is what it’s all about! With a green salad, it’s an easy dinner”
1 3/4 lbs (800g) new or small potatoes
12 free-range chicken thighs , skin on, bone out
olive oil
1 bunch of fresh oregano , (30g)
extra virgin olive oil
red wine vinegar
Scrub the potatoes and put into a large saucepan of salted boiling water and boil until cooked.
While the potatoes are cooking, preheat your oven to 400°F/gas 6/200C
Cut each chicken thigh into three strips and place in a bowl. Rub the meat all over with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper, then toss.
Heat a large frying pan, big enough to hold all the chicken pieces snugly in one layer, and put the chicken into the pan, skin side down. If you don’t have a pan that’s big enough, feel free to cook the chicken in two batches. Toss and fry over a low heat for 10 minutes, or until almost cooked, then remove with a slotted spoon to a large roasting tray or dish.
Prick the tomatoes with a sharp knife. Place them in a bowl, cover with boiling water and leave for a minute or so. Drain and, when cool enough to handle, pinch off their skins. You don’t have to, but by doing this they will become lovely and sweet when cooked, and their intense flavors will infuse the potatoes.
By now the potatoes will be cooked. Drain them in a colander, then lightly crush them by pushing down on them with your thumb.
Pick and bash up most of the oregano leaves with a pinch of salt in a pestle and mortar. Add 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, a good splash of red wine vinegar and some pepper and give everything another bash. Add to the chicken with the potatoes, the tomatoes and the rest of the oregano leaves. Toss everything together carefully.
Spread out in a single layer in the roasting tray, and bake for 40 minutes in the preheated oven until golden.
Lovely served with a rocket salad dressed with some lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil.
Golden milk is rich in antioxidants, which help protect cells from damage, fight off disease and infections. It reduces inflammation and contributes to your overall health and it’s a wonderfully soothing drink.
3 cups non-dairy milk like coconut, oat, cashew or almond or a mixture of two of them
2-3 tbsp maple syrup, or feel free to add any sweetener. (Leave out if on Whole30)
2-3 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla extract (If on Whole30, use a compliant one)
1/4 tsp ground ginger
Pinch ground cardamom
A few grinds of ground black pepper
Add all the ingredients to a saucepan, stir until well combined and cook over medium heat until hot (about 3-5 minutes). Stir occasionally.
Serve immediately or keep the leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Reheat on the stovetop or microwave until warm enough.
A lovely simple summer recipe with so much flavor. You can also use mussels and serve it with simple white rice.
Serves 4
1 14oz (398ml) can unsweetened full fat coconut milk
1/2 cup (120ml) canned or bottle clam nectar/juice
1 cup (240ml) canned plum tomatoes, well drained and finely diced
1 tbsp fresh cilantro leaves
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
2 tbsp (30ml) freshly squeezed lime juice
1 lime, thinly sliced
3/bs (1.4kg) fresh manilla clams, scrubbed
In a large pot combine all the ingredients except the clams.
Bring to a boil and add the clams.
Cover and cook until the clams open, shaking the pot occasionally.
Ladle the clams and broth into heated bowls and serve with crusty bread for soaking up all the juices
This is a mild spiced Indian dish that comes together in no time. It uses both fresh cilantro and ground coriander which are actually from the same plant.
For the very best flavor, grind your coriander seeds rather than use the pre-ground coriander.
Serves 4
2 tbsp vegetable oil
3 medium zucchini, scrubbed and cut into 1/2″ chunks
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 tsp roasted ground coriander
1 1/2 tsp roasted ground cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric
3/4 tsp salt(Taste at the end and add more if needed)
1lb medium prawns, peeled and deveined
1/2 cup coconut cream (unsweetened)
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
3 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
hot, cooked rice for serving
In a large (12 inch) nonstick skillet, heat the oil over a medium heat.
Add the zucchini, onion, ginger, Jalapeno and garlic.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are golden, 5 to 6 minutes.
Add the ground coriander, cumin, turmeric and salt.
Stir until the spices are fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add the prawns. Cook until the prawns begins to turn opaque, about 1 minute.
Add the coconut cream and lemon juice and bring to the boil.
Cook until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes.
Stir in the cilantro and serve immediately with the rice
Fabulous recipe from Jamie Oliver
“This is the easiest method for cooking squash. All the flavor is added at the last minute when you smash it in. Don’t panic if you’re tight for hob or oven space and the squash isn’t piping hot by the time you serve – it’s just as good warm. ”
2 butternut squash
2oz (50g) pine nuts
a few sprigs of fresh sage
extra virgin olive oil
½ fresh red chili
7oz (200g) vacuum-packed chestnuts
½ tsp ground cinnamon
balsamic vinegar, optional
Preheat the oven to 350F/180C/350F/gas 4.
Wash and dry the whole squash, then place on a baking tray. Pierce once or twice with the tip of a sharp knife, then bake in the oven for 1 hour 30 minutes, or until golden and very soft.
Scatter the pine nuts on a baking tray and toast them in the oven at the same time – they will only need a couple of minutes to turn golden, so make sure you keep an eye on them to prevent them burning.
Add a lug of oil to a frying pan, then pick in the sage leaves and fry until crisp. Remove to piece of kitchen paper to drain, reserving the oil.
Lay the cooked squash on a board, remove the stalks and, using a knife and tongs, carefully slice the squash lengthways, down the middle. Scoop out and discard the seeds.
Finely chop the chili and crumble the chestnuts, then sprinkle over the squash halves with the cinnamon and a good pinch of black pepper. Really mash and chop all the lovely toppings into the squash with your knife, so all the flavors go right through.
Serve the squash halves topped with the crisp sage, the toasted pine nuts, a drizzle of the reserved sage oil and a little balsamic vinegar (if using).
