Recipes

Cast-iron skillet chicken legs

 Cast-iron chicken legs

Cast-iron skillet chicken legs
6 chicken legs
Kosher salt and pepper
2 Tablespoons ghee

Kitchen equipment needed:
Large cast-iron skillet

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Heat the cast iron over medium-high heat. Melt the ghee in the pan.
  3. Season the chicken legs with salt and pepper.
  4. Sear each chicken leg in the pan. Brown the chicken 3-4 minutes on one side, turn ¼ turn and brown turning until all sides are browned.
  5. Once all sides are browned, place the cast-iron skillet into the oven and roast the chicken for approximately 25 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees F.
  6. Smother the chicken pieces in the smoky apple BBQ sauce or the sauce of your choice.
  7. Serve with “Warm vegetable slaw with apple-bacon vinaigrette” (see above) or side of choice.

 

 slaw with bbq chicken legs

Smoky Apple BBQ Sauce

I made this BBQ sauce to go with some cast iron chicken legs but it really goes great with any grilled meat or on pulled pork.

Smoky Apple BBQ Sauce

Smoky apple BBQ sauce
1 can tomato paste
1/3 cup apple sauce- you can use unsweetened, already prepared applesauce or make your own by following the directions below
1 large, dried ancho pepper
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon ghee
1 teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon salt

Kitchen equipment needed:
Small sauce pan
Garlic press
Stick blender or blender

  1. Start by making applesauce- see below
  2. While the applesauce is cooking, remove the stem from the ancho pepper and soak it with some boiling water until it is soft- about 5 minutes. Drain the water.
  3. Blend the tomato paste, ancho pepper, applesauce, vinegar, paprika, cayenne, and salt into a smooth paste.
  4. Heat the ghee in the saucepan on medium-high heat. Crush the garlic and fry it in the ghee for 15-20 seconds.
  5. Add in the tomato mixture into the sauce pan, mix well, turn the heat to low, and cook for 15 minutes.

 

For the applesauce:
1 gala apple
1 teaspoon lemon juice
¼ cup water
A dash of cinnamon

Rinse, peel, and dice the apple into small chunks. Place the apple in a small sauce pan with the lemon juice, water, and cinnamon. Simmer on medium-high heat for approximately 20 minutes. After the apples are tender use a stick blender or blender to make a smooth sauce.

Harissa (spicy chili pepper paste)

We love spicy food at our house. I fell in love with Harissa when I ate at Cava Grill- which is a Mediterranean restaurant in Maryland. I did a little more research on the spicy paste and found actually a North African condiment and there are tons of different ways of making it. I’m pretty sure there is no wrong way of making it. In my version, I added some parsley, mint, and lemon to make it a bit more complex.

 

Harissa (spicy chili pepper paste)

Harissa

4 sundried tomatoes packed in oil
3 mini red bell peppers or ½ red bell pepper- seeds removed and roasted
4 ounces dried chilies- see notes below
1 teaspoon dried parsley
2 teaspoons dried mint
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 ½ teaspoons coriander
1 clove of garlic peeled
½ teaspoon lemon zest
Lemon juice
2 Tablespoons olive oil plus more for drizzling

 

Kitchen equipment needed:
Food processor

 

  1. Start by roasting the red pepper. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Drizzle the pepper with a little olive oil and roast in the oven for about 20 minutes or until softened and browned on the outside skin. Once cooled- peel and seed the pepper and place in the food processor.
  2. Place the dried chilies on a bowl. Add boiling water to cover and let peppers rehydrate for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes- drain and remove the stem and seeds from the chilies and place in a food processor.
  3. Meanwhile, measure out the caraway, cumin and coriander. Dry roast the spices in a sauce pan over medium heat until slightly toasted and fragrant. Once slightly cooled- grind the spices with a mortar and pestle.
  4. Add the remaining ingredients to the food processor- tomatoes, spices, garlic, parsley, mint, lemon, olive oil- and blend until you get a thick, smooth paste. You may have to stop the food processor a couple of times to scrape down the sides.
  5. Store in an airtight jar or container and top the sauce with a thin layer of olive oil.

 

Note on chilies: I’ve hear that any type of dried chili works fine for this paste. I used 2 ounces of ancho and 2 ounces of guajillo chilies to make mine. I suggest checking out this page that I found when I was making some of my own chorizo and wasn’t sure what chilies to use. It lists the chilies by heat level. I would, however, suggest staying away from super-hot peppers like habaneros or tiny hot Thai chilies. We usually buy our dried chilies in the international section of our local grocery store or at Mexican markets.

 

I’ve used this sauce in a variety of ways. As an extra sauce on salads, mixed with mayonnaise to make a sandwich spread, as a dipping sauce for parties, or brushed on grilled meats. I made an awesome Mediterranean chicken salad with harissa, marinated red onions, tahini dressing, grilled chicken, olives, and salad greens. Here’s what it looks like. I linked to all the other recipes related to this meal too so you can check them out.

Quick Marinated Red Onions

Marinated onions are awesome. The recipe is simple no matter the style you want- thinly sliced onions and marinated them in a mixture of vinegar and seasonings with just a touch of sweetness. I made some delicious marinated yellow onions to top my Vietnamese Shaking Beef Salad. I plan on playing around with the recipe a bit to make different styles. I usually use marinated onions on salads but they would be equally great on sandwiches or on a appetizer tray- think olives, pickles, meats, veggies and maybe some dips.

 

Quick Marinated Red Onion

Quick Marinated Red Onions

Date paste of 1 date
½ cup white wine vinegar
¼ cup water
1 red onion thinly sliced into rings
Salt and pepper to taste

  1. Soak the date in a little hot water to soften. Once softened, drain the excess water. Blend with a stick blender or in blender to get a smooth paste.

As a note: I usually blend a batch of dates, usually 8-10 per time and store the finished paste in an airtight container in my refrigerator. When I have a recipe that needs date paste I usually measure about a Tablespoon per date needed in the recipe. Of course you can adjust the sweetness of any recipe by either adding more or leaving a little out.

  1. Combine the date paste, vinegar, water, salt, & pepper. Mix well to incorporate the dates into the liquid.
  2. Add the onions and make sure to coat well with the vinegar.

Place into the refrigerator and let marinate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.

Here they are on a Mediterranean Grilled Chicken Salad.

Mediterranean Grilled Chicken Salad

As you can see if you compare the color of the onions shown on the salad versus the picture of the onions by themselves- the longer the onions marinate the more the color changes from purplish on the outside and white on the inside to a uniform pink color. The picture with just the onions had been marinating about 2-3 days before I took the picture. The onions on the salad were only marinating about 45 minutes before I took the picture. They taste great either way.

Herb Tahini Dressing

Now that the weather is getting warmer I’ve been wanting to eat more salads. I never realized before doing whole 30 how much better I feel eating seasonally. I try to eat mostly organic and in season but out of season produce is something I think we all partake in. Anyways, with salad comes dressing. I feel like having a couple of varieties of dressing on hand help me to consume a larger amount of veggies.  I made this tahini dressing to go with a Mediterranean chicken salad but it can really go on anything if you ask me.

 

Herb tahini dressing

Herb Tahini dressing
3 Tablespoons tahini
3 Tablespoons water
Juice of ½ lemon
1 clove of garlic- crushed
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Paste of 1 date
4 fresh mint leaves
A small handful of parsley- chopped
Olive oil for drizzling

  1. Soak the date in a little hot water to soften. Once softened, drain the excess water and place in a cup for blending with a stick blender or into a blender or food processor.
  2. Add the tahini, water, lemon juice, date, garlic, salt, mint and parsley into a cup for blending with a stick blender or into a blender or food processor. Blend until you get a smooth dressing.
  3. Drizzle a little olive oil in and blend once more to incorporate.

Mediterranean Grilled Chicken Salad

Mediterranean food is awesome to me because there is so much flavor and usually a fair amount of sauces that go with it. I have been making more salads recently and have already made this three times since making the sauces. I hope you like this salad as much as I do.

*If you want to make it vegetarian- make some spiced chickpeas instead. I’m not eating chickpeas right now but I have made similar recipes to this one from bon appetit. Instead of making them spicy (since the harissa is spicy enough) you can saute the chickpeas like in the Bon Appetit recipe but use the same marinate ingredients I used on the chicken as listed below. So basically saute rinsed chickpeas in 2 Tablespoons olive oil, 1 Tablespoon lemon juice, ½ teaspoon lemon zest, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, Salt and pepper to taste over medium-high heat for 6-8 minutes or until warmed and chickpeas start to blister.

 

Mediterranean Grilled Chicken Salad

Mediterranean Grilled Chicken Salad

Chicken breast- 1 per person
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and pepper to taste

 

Mixed greens- I used baby kale, spinach, baby arugula, and shredded collard greens
Grated carrots
Thin slices of raw, red cabbage
Cucumber- sliced
Grape tomatoes
Olives- I used a mixture of Kalamata and Greek green olives.
Harissa- recipe below
Herb tahini dressing- recipe below
Marinated red onions- recipe below

 

  1. Mix the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt & pepper together and pour over the chicken. Let the chicken marinate for at least 30 minutes.
  2. While chicken is marinating, prepare the harissa, herb tahini dressing and the marinated red onions.
  3. Prepare the salad greens, carrots, red cabbage, cucumber, tomatoes and olives and plate on individual dishes or in a large serving bowl.
  4. Grill the chicken breasts on a preheated grill for 3-5 minutes each side- depending on the thickness of the breasts. Cook until the chicken is cooked thoroughly or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
  5. Cool the chicken slightly then cut into cubes and serve with the salad and a side of harissa and herb tahini dressing.

 

 

Harissa

Harissa

4 sundried tomatoes packed in oil
3 mini red bell peppers or ½ red bell pepper- seeds removed and roasted
4 ounces dried chilies- see notes below
1 teaspoon dried parsley
2 teaspoons dried mint
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 ½ teaspoons coriander
1 clove of garlic peeled
½ teaspoon lemon zest
Lemon juice
2 Tablespoons olive oil plus more for drizzling

Kitchen equipment needed:
Food processor

  1. Start by roasting the red pepper. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Drizzle the pepper with a little olive oil and roast in the oven for about 20 minutes or until softened and browned on the outside skin. Once cooled- peel and seed the pepper and place in the food processor.
  2. Place the dried chilies on a bowl. Add boiling water to cover and let peppers rehydrate for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes- drain and remove the stem and seeds from the chilies and place in a food processor.
  3. Meanwhile, measure out the caraway, cumin and coriander. Dry roast the spices in a sauce pan over medium heat until slightly toasted and fragrant. Once slightly cooled- grind the spices with a mortar and pestle.
  4. Add the remaining ingredients to the food processor- tomatoes, spices, garlic, parsley, mint, lemon, olive oil- and blend until you get a thick, smooth paste. You may have to stop the food processor a couple of times to scrape down the sides.
  5. Store in an airtight jar or container and top the sauce with a thin layer of olive oil.

 

 

Herb tahini dressing

Herb Tahini dressing

3 Tablespoons tahini
3 Tablespoons water
Juice of ½ lemon
1 clove of garlic- crushed
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Paste of 1 date
4 fresh mint leaves
A small handful of parsley- chopped
Olive oil for drizzling

  1. Soak the date in a little hot water to soften. Once softened, drain the excess water and place in a cup for blending with a stick blender or into a blender or food processor.
  2. Add the tahini, water, lemon juice, date, garlic, salt, mint and parsley into a cup for blending with a stick blender or into a blender or food processor. Blend until you get a smooth dressing.
  3. Drizzle a little olive oil in and blend once more to incorporate.

 

Marinated Red Onion

Quick Marinated Red Onions

Date paste of 1 date
½ cup white wine vinegar
¼ cup water
1 red onion thinly sliced into rings
Salt and pepper to taste

  1. Soak the date in a little hot water to soften. Once softened, drain the excess water. Blend with a stick blender or in blender to get a smooth paste.

As a note: I usually blend a batch of dates, usually 8-10 per time and store the finished paste in an airtight container in my refrigerator. When I have a recipe that needs date paste I usually measure about a Tablespoon per date needed in the recipe. Of course you can adjust the sweetness of any recipe by either adding more or leaving a little out.

  1. Combine the date paste, vinegar, water, salt, & pepper. Mix well to incorporate the dates into the liquid.
  2. Add the onions and make sure to coat well with the vinegar.
  3. Place into the refrigerator and let marinate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.

As you can see if you compare the color of the onions shown on the salad versus the picture of the onions by themselves- the longer the onions marinate the more the color changes from purplish on the outside and white on the inside to a uniform pink color. The picture with just the onions had been marinating about 2-3 days before I took the picture. The onions on the salad were only marinating about 45 minutes before I took the picture. They taste great either way.

 

 

Everyday Seasoning Mix

My husband and I love making pre-made seasonings. It is nice to go into the cabinet and pick out one shaker and not have to go searching for much else. We made this blend of seasonings as a basic spice blend. We use it on just about everything like chicken, potatoes, and veggies. So in our house we started calling it “everyday seasoning” for just that reason. I like this seasoning because it is basic enough for a variety of dishes but it gives a slightly smoky, almost barbecue flavor.

Just as a note, we usually buy our spices from the bulk section in our grocery store- mostly we go to Whole Foods for this. We find the spices are fresher and are less expensive than buying an entire bottle in the spice section.

 

Everyday seasoning mix

 

Everyday seasoning

1 Tablespoon Garlic powder
1 Tablespoon onion powder
1 Tablespoon parsley flakes
1 Tablespoon smoked Paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon Dried mustard powder
1 teaspoon celery salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Pepper to taste

Mix all the seasonings together and place in an airtight jar. Then sprinkle it on everything!

Basic Marinara

I’ve found a few whole 30 compliant marinara sauces at the store and use them occasionally when I am in a hurry to make a meal. One really has to study the ingredients on the jar because a ton of them are full of added sugar. If I have time, or have meal plan then l I try to make my own sauce. Here is the basic recipe I have been making.

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Marinara

Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons olive oil
3 large cloves garlic – minced
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
2- 28 ounce cans crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
6-8 large fresh basil leaves cut into a chiffonade

Kitchen equipment needed:
1 large sauce pan
1 large splatter guard
Wooden spoon for stirring

  1. Heat the sauce pan over medium-heat. Add the olive oil and once warmed add in the minced garlic. Sautee the garlic for about a minute. You want the garlic to soften but not really browned.
  2. Add the vinegar around to coat the garlic and scrape off any bits that have stuck to the pan. Continue to cook the simmer the vinegar until it is mostly thickened and reduced by at least half.
  3. Add in the crushed tomatoes, kosher salt, and oregano and stir well. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover then pan with the splatter guard.
  4. Simmer the sauce for 45 minutes stirring occasionally. The sauce will be thickened and the volume of the sauce will be reduced quite a bit.
  5. Once sauce is at the desired consistency stir in the basil leaves. Adjust the salt if necessary.

 

I’ve used this basic marinara on top of spaghetti squash, zoodles, chicken pieces, or Italian sausages. It’s simple and versatile. Many times I add a variety of vegetables to the finished marinara before serving to make it a bit heartier.  Here I added some spinach, kale, mushrooms, and onions.

IMG_1519

 

 

Peeling Lots of Garlic Quickly & Easily

I cook with a fair amount of garlic. Sometimes I find that the peels are difficult to get off of very small or very large cloves. I came up with this quick way to take the peels off of the garlic with minimal work.

All you need to do is put individual cloves into a mason jar with a lid and shake well for a little while. That’s it. Perfectly peeled garlic cloves. If the cloves are small or have particularly tough skins, you may need to shake it a bit move vigorously.

 

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Vietnamese Shaking Beef Salad

Vietnamese Shaking Beef Salad

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

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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.

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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.