Whole 30

This is definitely one of my favorite Vietnamese dishes. I have fond memories of my dad making this for dinner. In his version the beef was marinated in a sauce that contained lots of soy and sugary ingredients. My version utilizes dates for sweetness and is whole 30 and paleo friendly. The flavors are simple and delicious and just as good as I remember them.

This recipe will feed 4-6 people depending on their appetites. If you are cooking for yourself or just two people I suggest cooking just enough beef for that single meal then cooking fresh beef when you want to have leftovers. Nothing beats freshly seared beef! I’ve always served this meal on a large platter or bowl but you could arrange individual plates for yourself, family, or guests.

Whole 30 Vietnamese Shaking Beef Salad (Bo Luc Lac)

Ingredients:

1.5 pounds of sirloin cut into ½ inch chunks
1 Tablespoon coconut oil

Marinate:
2 Tablespoons date paste
1 Tablespoon coconut aminos
1 Tablespoon sesame oil
2 cloves crushed garlic
¼ cup water

Marinated onions:
½ yellow onion thinly sliced
¼ cup rice vinegar
1.5 Tablespoon date paste
2 Tablespoon water
¼ teaspoon water
Pepper

Salad ingredients:
Lettuce- I used green leaf lettuce but you can use other lettuce or greens like Bibb or arugula
1 tomato cut in half and sliced
½ English cucumber sliced
3-4 radishes cut into thin slices
1 large carrot cut into thin slices

Dipping sauce:
Lime juice from 1 large lime
1 teaspoon salt or more to taste
A few grinds of black pepper

Kitchen equipment needed:
Measuring spoons
Containers with lids for marinating onions and beef
Wok or large pan for sautéing beef
a small bowl for the dipping sauce

1. Start by preparing the marinades for the beef and onions. Combine all ingredients in marinades well and make sure the beef and onions are coated in the sauces. Marinate each the beef and onions for 1-2 hours or overnight.
2. Prepare the salad ingredients as listed above. Layer the ingredients on the bottom of a large bowl or platter with the lettuce at the bottom.
3. Make the dipping sauce and set aside.
4. Heat the Wok or pan over medium-high heat (but closer to high than medium). Melt the coconut oil in the pan and once the pan is hot add the beef and sauté for 3-4 minutes until browned on the outside and cooked to desired doneness on the inside. Depending on the size of your pan you will probably have to cook the beef in smaller batches.
5. Transfer the beef on top of the salad and top with the marinated onions.
6. Dip chunks of the beef in the dipping sauce and eat with the salad. If desired you may drizzle some of the onion marinade onto the salad for some added dressing.

You can really make this any time of the year. It’s very nice for warmer weather though because besides the beef, nothing else is cooked. I hope you all enjoy this one. I have a feeling that once it starts getting hot this summer that I’m going to be making this much more often.

I had a lot of extra olives so I wanted to come up with a way to incorporate them into something besides just putting them on top of a salad.  I’m a huge fan of cooking chicken this way- sautéing it in some brothy goodness until it is tender. It’s not a lot of work and the chicken doesn’t dry out either. I came up with the eggplant salad to go along with the Mediterranean theme. I’m very pleased with both of these recipes and my husband was a huge fan too.

Mediterranean Chicken Thighs

Ingredients:
4 chicken thighs- bone in & skin on
1 Tablespoon ghee
1 can whole tomatoes with juice- each tomato cut into 4 chunks
½ cup compliant chicken or vegetable broth
½ onion thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic- minced
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 bay leaf
½ teaspoon dried parsley
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ cup pitted olives of choice each cut lengthwise- I used green olives from Trader Joe’s
Salt and pepper to taste

Kitchen equipment needed:
1 large skillet with lid

1. Heat skillet over medium-high heat and add in ghee to melt
2. Season the chicken thighs on each side with salt and pepper. Brown the chicken on each side approximately 3-4 minutes or until lightly browned. Removed chicken from the pan.
3. Add in the sliced onion and sauté 3 minutes. Add in garlic and sauté an additional minute.
4. Add in the tomatoes, broth, lemon juice, parsley, thyme, and bay leaf. Add chicken back into pan, cover, and simmer on medium heat for 20 minutes.
5. Remove the lid, stir in olives and turn heat up to medium-high. Simmer approximately 10-15 minutes longer or until the chicken is fully cooked (internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F) and sauce has thickened.

Roasted eggplant salad
1 large eggplant
2 cloves of garlic- minced
1 Tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Chili powder- just a dash

Dressing:
1 Tablespoon tahini
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
2 Tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon dried mint

Kitchen equipment needed:
Baking sheet
Parchment paper

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper. Wash and trim the eggplant. Cut the eggplant into bite sized cubes.
2. Mix the eggplant cubes with olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, & chili powder.
3. Roast the eggplant in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes.
4. While the eggplant is roasting, mix the ingredients for the dressing and set aside until the eggplant is finished roasting.
5. Cool the eggplant slightly then toss the eggplant in the dressing. Serve slightly warmed or cold as desired.

Try out these recipes and let me know what you think in the comments section below.

Carnitas is by far one of my favorite meats to get at a Mexican restaurant. Since being on Whole 30, it is difficult for me to eat out because of the hidden non-complaint items at most restaurants. My solution, of course, is to just cook at home. Here is how I make mine.

Slow-cooker Carnitas

Ingredients:
4 pounds pork shoulder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon ground coriander
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 Bay leaves
2 cups of chicken broth

Kitchen equipment needed:
Slow cooker
Measuring spoons
Small bowl

1. Trim excess fat off the pork shoulder.
2. Place Bay leaves at the bottom of the slow cooker and place pork on top of them.
3. Mix the remainder of the dry ingredients in a small bowl then rub all over the top and sides of the pork shoulder.
4. Pour the chicken broth around the pork, trying to not rinse off the dry rub.
5. Cook the carnitas on low for 8-10 hours or until meat shreds naturally.

I love this recipe because, like most slow cooker recipes, it is quick to put together and it makes your house smell delicious. Plus, it’s one of those things that you can throw together in the morning before work and come home to and enjoy when the day is over. Once you make a batch you can use it in a variety of ways. I’ve eaten it over cauliflower rice, in lettuce boats, or on top of sweet potatoes and eggs. One of my personal favorite ways to eat carnitas is to pair it with tostones (fried plantains), guacamole, and salsa. In my opinion these additional recipes make the ultimate delicious meal.

Braising is a new love for me but I’ve really been enjoying it, especially in this colder weather. It doesn’t take much time to put everything together and it makes your house smell amazing. Plus, whatever you are braising comes out tender and flavorful. Recently, I found some good quality country style pork ribs and came up with this delicious recipe.

 Braised, Bone-in Pork Country Style Ribs

Ingredients:
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
2 cups vegetable stock
1 cup water
1 medium yellow onion- diced
2 shallots- minced
3 carrots- peeled and cut into a small dice
1 stalk of celery- diced
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons ghee
Kosher salt and pepper to taste

Kitchen equipment need:
3.5 quart enamel coated Dutch oven with lid- I have this one and love it.
Stick blender or blender- to make gravy

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Rinse and pat dry the ribs. Cut the ribs into equal sized pieces that will fit the length of the Dutch oven. Sprinkle each piece with some kosher salt and pepper.
3. Heat the tallow in the Dutch oven on the stove at medium-high heat. In batches, as to not over crowd the pan, brown the ribs for 30-45 on each side until slightly browned. Remove ribs from pan and set aside for later.
4. Reduce the heat of the pan to medium. Using the grease already in the pan add onions, shallot, carrot, celery, & bay leaf. Cook the vegetables for 5-7 minutes until translucent but not quite browned.
5. Add in the balsamic vinegar to deglaze the pan by scraping down the sides and bottom of the pan. Continue to cook the vegetables and vinegar until the vinegar is reduced to ½ the original amount- about 3-4 minutes.
6. Add the ribs back into the pot and mix everything well to coat the meat.
7. Add the stock and water into the pan. The liquid should come just to the top of the meat in the pan.
8. Place the lid on the Dutch oven and place into the preheated oven. Cook the ribs for approximately 3 hours.
9. After three hours remove the lid from the Dutch oven and turn the oven up to 375 degrees and brown the meat slightly- about 15 minutes.
10. Cool the ribs slightly. Remove the meat from the pan. Transfer the vegetables, leaving a good amount of the liquid in the pan, into a blender or a container for blending with a stick blender. Blend the vegetables well until there is a thick gravy.  If the gravy is too thick, add more of the cooking liquid into the gravy to get the desired consistency you would like.

I served my ribs with gravy and some simple mashed potatoes. It’s a filling and delicious way to keep warm this winter.

There is not much to say about butter chicken except for it is amazing! For this recipe I took a more traditional butter chicken recipe and then I adjusted everything to fit with Whole 30. I found the original recipe by doing a Google search and came up with this one.

Whole 30 Compliant Butter Chicken

Ingredients:
4 chicken thighs – about 1.5 pounds
1 15 ounce can of whole tomatoes with juice- pureed into sauce
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
2 Tablespoons ghee
6 pods of green cardamom
1 pod black cardamom
1 cinnamon stick
4 whole cloves
1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
1 dried chili
5 cloves of garlic-grated into a paste (use 1/3 of paste in marinade)
1 inch piece of ginger- grated into a paste (use 1/3 of paste in marinade)
1/3 cup raw cashews
2 cups water
1 teaspoon garam masala
½ cup coconut cream
½ teaspoon salt
Marinade:
1/3 cup coconut cream
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garam masala
1/3 of each garlic and ginger paste- see above

Garnish-optional
Cilantro
Coconut cream

Kitchen equipment needed:
Large sauce pan or Dutch oven
Container with lid for marinating chicken
Measuring spoons
Baking pan with wire rack
Foil
Meat thermometer

1. Mix all marinade ingredients together and pour over chicken thighs. Mix thighs with the marinade to coat well then marinade overnight.
2. The next day: line the baking sheet with foil. Place baking rack in center. Place chicken on the rack evenly spacing them out evenly. Turn oven to broil and broil the chicken thighs 10-12 minutes each side until they are slightly browned but not fully cooked. Place chicken to the side then start the butter sauce.
3. Heat the ghee in the bottom of the pot over medium-high heat. Add cardamom, cinnamon, & cloves and fry for 1 minute.
4. Add fenugreek, chili pepper, remaining garlic & ginger paste and sauté until slightly browned.
5. Add pureed tomatoes and tomato paste and cook until mixture cooks down into a paste like consistency.
6. Blend the cashews and water until they are a smooth paste. Add it to the tomato mixture and stir well.
7. Cut the chicken into bite sized chunks and add into the tomato sauce with ½ teaspoon salt, ½ cup coconut cream, & 1 teaspoon garam masala.
8. Cook on medium heat for 8-10 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked and meat thermometer reads 165 degrees F.

I made this for some dinner guests and they absolutely loved it. I served it with garam masala green beans and cauliflower rice. I found the recipe for the green beans here at Food.com and check out my recipe for cauliflower rice here.

Now that it is cold I’m really enjoying two things: soups and spicy meals. This seafood stew has both! I used our homemade, ground chorizo in this recipe to give it a little zip. Check out the recipe that we followed to make our chorizo here. Of course, if you don’t have the time to make your own you can easily find compliant chorizo at many stores. In the past I’ve used Wellshire farms’ smoked chorizo sausage and found it quite nice. I really enjoy their products and have seen them at Whole Foods. I used some store-bought seafood stock since I didn’t have time to make my own. Honestly, I have never made my own fish stock and I use it so rarely that it is not something I keep on hand anyways.  I used Kitchen Basics Seafood stock. I think their vegetable stock is compliant as well. But make sure you check the label! In the past I have purchased items that I read were complaint in the store only to recheck the ingredients at home to find I completely looked over some sugar or MSG. Check and recheck your labels.

Spicy Chorizo and Seafood Stew

Ingredients:
1 pound little neck clams
1 pound mussels
1/3 pound fresh, whole shrimp
½ pound small yellow potatoes
1 14 ounce can diced tomatoes with the juice
3 cups fish stock- make sure it is complaint
2 cloves of garlic minced
½ yellow onion diced
½ pound ground chorizo- make sure it is compliant
1 Tablespoon ghee
Salt and pepper to taste
Parsley- chopped, for garnish

Kitchen equipment needed:
Large pot or enameled Dutch oven with a lid- this is what I have

1. To clean the mussels and clams, put them in a large bowl with 2 quarts of water to soak for a few minutes. Scrub them with a brush under running water. Discard any whose shells aren’t tightly shut. Remove the “beard” from each mussel with your fingers.
2. Heat the pot or Dutch oven on medium-high heat and melt the ghee.
3. Once heated up, add the onion and garlic into the pot and sauté for 2-3 minutes, until translucent but not browned.
4. Add in the chorizo and break it into small pieces. Cook the chorizo for 4-5 minutes until slightly browned.
5. Add in the potatoes, tomatoes, and fish stock and simmer for approximately 6-7 minutes. The potatoes should be getting tender but will not be fully cooked.
6. Turn the heat down to medium. Add in the seafood and place the lid on the pot. Cook for 8-10 minutes. After this time the mussels and clams should be opened and the shrimp is pink and curled. Discard any clams & mussels that have not opened.
7. Sprinkle some freshly chopped parsley on top of each bowl to serve.

On another note, you can use raw, peeled, & deveined shrimp in this dish if the whole, head on shrimp is not your thing. I don’t mind just throwing the whole shrimp right in the pot!

I hope you enjoy this recipe. I’d love to hear your comments if you’ve made this stew.

My husband and I have recently been utilizing our meat grinder to make some delicious dishes. We enjoy our food spicy! You can easily make this recipe milder by adjusting the amount or type of chili you add to the ground pork. I found this page, the cook’s thesaurus, which list chilies by their heat level. We found our dried chilies at a local international market. I’ve seen several varieties of dried chilies in the international section at our local grocery store as well. We experimented with chilies and our heat preferences by grinding one chili of each variety and tasting them. It was a spicy adventure!

Chorizo

Ingredients:
4 pounds pork butt- excess fat trimmed and pork cut into ½ inch chunks
4-6 Tablespoons chili flakes* see mixture below
3-4 Tablespoons
1 Tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
½ teaspoon paprika
5 cloves garlic- finely minced.

Chili Flakes:
1 Ancho chili
5 Arbol chilies
6 Pequin chilies
1 Guajillo chili
1 Morita chili

Kitchen equipment:
Food processor or spice grinder
Large bowl
Meat grinder– if you have it.

1. Start by making the chili flakes. Trim the stems from the chilies and place in a food processor or spice grinder. Process on high until all the chilies are processed until small flakes. Remove chili flakes from process and set aside until it’s time to season the pork. Use 4 Tablespoons for a more mild sausage and 6 Tablespoons for a hotter sausage. If you want milder flakes, leave out the Arbol and Pequin chilies and add more ancho or Guajillo chilies.
2. In a large bowl mix the pork chunks with the dry ingredients and garlic and let stand for 1 hour to let the flavors combine.
3. Once the meat has had a chance to marinade process it in the meat grinder or food processor until well ground. Let the meat marinade at least for 1-2 hours or overnight before using.

If you don’t want to grind your own- you can start with a base of ground pork and just add the seasonings to it.  You can use this sausage as ground meat for tacos, as a breakfast meat, or in stews. I used some of this chorizo in a spicy chorizo and seafood stew- recipe coming soon.  If you feel so inclined, you could also stuff the chorizo into casings to make link sausages. We started making our own link sausages earlier this week and I hope to be posting a tutorial on that soon.