Paleo Pesto Chicken on Spaghetti Squash

We love Pesto!  I don't know what it is about it but we really love our Pesto sauce around here, and this has quickly become one of our favorite go to meals.  It's perfect for leftover chicken or turkey, or just keep the sauce in the fridge to use as desired on eggs, or other dishes.  Our family is so large and we are such big eaters that we polish this off in nothing flat.  So what I've started doing is doubling it or making the two different Pesto sauces so we will have some leftovers.  My oldest daughter and I love the Basil and Sun dried Tomato Pesto sauce, but those who don't particularly care for tomatoes prefer the Basil Pesto ( quite a few in family don't like tomatoes including my husband).  

I've also started baking my spaghetti squash earlier in the day or even the day before, cooking up a bunch and then refrigerating it for later.  When it's time to eat I just pull it out and reheat it by frying it up in a little bacon grease or coconut oil in a frying pan.  Makes dinner prep a lot quicker and provides quick lunches too.    Yesterday I baked up 4 large spaghetti squash (3-4 pounds each), served 2 of them with the pesto sauce, chicken, tomatoes and bacon.  And tonight we will have the rest of the spaghetti squash  with Mom's Homestyle Spaghetti Sauce, mmmmm...yum!  

A few weeks ago we cooked up a huge free range turkey that we had purchased from a local friend who raises them.  We had tons of turkey leftovers, so this was one of the re-created turkey meals we had, and boy was it good!  My husband says you know it's good when everyone cleans their plates, all the way down to the little ones.  So with Thanksgiving coming I thought I would share this with all of you, in case some of you may be looking for new ways to use up your leftover turkey after the holiday.

Though traditionally made with Pine Nuts, I make mine with either pecans or walnuts, for two reasons, one, it's two nuts I always have around and two, I find they are cheaper than using pine nuts, and taste great.  

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we have and do!

SPAGHETTI SQUASH:

In advance bake your spaghetti squash ( I usually do 2 large squash to feed our family of 9), see directions here: HOW TO BAKE SPAGHETTI SQUASH.  And don't forget to save your seeds and ROAST THEM just like pumpkin seeds.

BACON:

Next Fry up some bacon or BAKE IT IN THE OVEN, reserving the fat (it's like gold around here, I use it for everything!).  Crumble the bacon and use it as a garnish.

MEAT:

Then either grill some chicken breast or thighs or slice and pan fry your chicken in some bacon grease with salt and pepper (unless you are using leftover meat or seafood).  If you are pan frying your chicken, after slicing it please be sure to dab dry (I use paper towels for this) before placing it in the pan of hot bacon grease.   Oh, and I typically figure on one piece of chicken per person.

TOMATOES: 

Chop up some fresh ripe tomatoes to garnish your Pesto Chicken with if desired.

 PESTO SAUCE: 

3 cups fresh basil leaves, (you'll kind of have to shove them in there a bit)

1 1/4 cups whole walnuts or pecans (toasted*)

4-5 cloves of fresh garlic (depending on your taste)

2 TBSP lemon juice

1 cup good quality extra virgin olive oil ( a good olive oil can make all the difference in taste!)

salt to taste (I use approximately 1/2 tsp)

pepper to taste

Combine basil, nuts, and lemon juice in food processor, then adding the olive oil very slowly turn the mixture on.  My food processor has a little reservoir I fill and it allows a trickle to go in, which makes it much easier.  Mid way through add some salt and pepper and mix and then taste.  Mix until combined and the desired texture, it's that simple and sooooo yummy!  

* To toast your nuts preheat oven to 375 and bake for 8-10 minutes on a baking tray, mixing 1/2 way through.  Allow to cool before using.

Pesto Spaghetti squash with leftover turkey mixed in and bacon to garnish.

SUN DRIED TOMATO BASIL PESTO SAUCE:

 I WILL PREFACE THIS BY SAYING THAT I USE MY OWN HOME DEHYDRATED TOMATOES FOR THIS.  I TAKE MY FRESH HOMEGROWN TOMATOES, SLICE AND SPRINKLE WITH DRIED BASIL AND THEN PLACE IN MY DEHYDRATOR UNTIL DRY.

2 cups fresh basil leaves

heaping 1/2 cup dried tomatoes (not packed in oil)

4 cloves of garlic

1/4-1/2 tsp sea salt (to taste)

1 cup of toasted pecans * see note above*

1 TBSP lemon juice

pepper to taste

1 cup good quality extra virgin olive oil (good quality makes all the difference regarding taste!)

Place everything except the oil in your food processor bowl, while processing very slowly add the oil to the mixture.  Process until desired texture and taste.  

My apologies for the lack of photos, but I hope you'll try it anyway. Enjoy!

  

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A New recipe!! SWEET POTATO ZUCCHINI CAKES

So...I know I did this whole post on how I was doing much creatively in the kitchen lately, but guess what?  I have a new recipe for you!  I made Sarah Fragoso's Garden meatballs the other night and had more shredded sweet potato and zucchini then I needed, so I thought to myself, what can I do with this?  So for breakfast the next morning, I threw these ingredients together fried them up in some butter and the kids LOVED them!  As always, my recipes are just a jumping off point feel free to personalize it to your taste.  My kids prefer them " burnt" as they call them, which is really just well browned, much more brown than the ones in the photo.  They say it makes them taste like cheese, which for my kids is a huge treat.   They have all had dairy issues and had to avoid dairy since birth, so tasting like cheese is a huge hit with them.  One of the things I love about these is that you can just shred up your zucchini and sweet potato in advance and store them in glass airtight containers int he fridge, pull it out in the morning and whip up a batch of these.  And my daughter who claims she hates eggs, even likes these, what a great way to sneak in more veggies, eggs and give them a great start to their day.  My 7 year old even packed one for her lunch today!  I wonder if bacon would be good in these....hmmmm.  Okay enough rambling, here is the recipe.

SWEET POTATO AND ZUCCHINI CAKES

Serves 4-5

4-5 cups of shredded sweet potato and zucchini ( used about 1/2 and 1/2)
8 eggs
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp coarse ground pepper
1/4 tsp sweet basil (dried)
3/4 cup almond flour
Butter or Ghee for frying in (this is and important flavor ingredient too)


Crack your eggs into a large bowl and beat well with a fork or whisk.  Add in the salt, pepper, basil, mix well and stir in the sweet potatoes, zucchini and almond flour, mix well.  Then place a small skillet over medium heat (give or take a few degrees depending on your stove), melt a few TBSP of butter.  Then using a ladle, scoop up a ladle full of the mixture and pour into the pan.  Let the one side cook for a few minutes until it's to your desired doneness, then flip and cook the other side.  Remove to a platter and repeat the steps for cooking the rest of the batter ( you may have to add more butter/ghee as you go along, butter makes it better).  My kids like to eat it with ketchup but my husband and I eat them plain.  There you have it simple, easy, nutritious, economical and yummy all in one!  Enjoy! Pin It

Guest Recipes from Susan!

Happy Birthday Susan!!

Susan, has emailed me a couple of her favorite recipes and I have been saving them for today!  

I thought her Birthday would be the perfect day to share them with you all!

Susan's Heirloom Tomato Salad

Another quick yum yummy recipe. 

My own.. sorta made it up because I LOVE heirloom tomatoes.

3-4 heirloom tomatoes ( try for 4 different colors too)
Half red onion
fresh basil leaves ( small hand full)
olive oil
sea salt ( the really course pink seas salt is wonderful , Co-Op bulk section little goes a long way super nutritious too)
very course ground black or multi colored pepper corns ( I have a mill)
then you can go one of two ways.. you can use a dash of Cabernet, or balsamic vinegar...
optional - feta.. I use just a dash of feta it just adds the right amount of flavor variety to it all.

Slice tomatoes 1/4 inch thick.. lay in a pie place or flat pan.. , slice red onion in very thin rounds , tear basil in med sized pieces, arrange over tomato slices. drizzle with olive oil liberally, top with salt, pepper, and balsamic/wine.. and of course feta if you want. I sort of toss it all after I have it put together, then straighten it out to make it look pretty, and allow it to sit out while you make rest of your dinner.. it is very delicious. 

Note * I didn't have heirloom tomatoes, but had  a bunch of homegrown tomatoes, so I used those for the pictures, I also did not have the coarse ground pepper, but I think you all get the idea :-)

Her second recipe is for a making a mocha, you can use either decaf or regular, depending on your preference.  The first recipe is Susan's and the second is my adapted version of her idea.

Susan's Mocha Yuminess!

So for the Mocha Java people out there. I took a whole can of coconut milk, added 2 heaping tbsp of raw unsweetened cocoa powder and 2 packets of Stevia and blended it. Then poured into a jar and put it in the fridge .. basically chocolate mousse right? Well, instead of eating it like a desert, I make my decaf coffee in the morning in my french press then stir in a heaping spoonful of my chocolate mousse. instant mocha. It's like a rich dark chocolate Mocha add as little or much as you need. 

Chocolate mouse ready to put in your coffee.

 So...my variation on it is this, I melted 1 whole Lindt dark chocolate bar with coconut milk, combined it well, then chilled into mouse and added by the spoonful to  coffee.  Same idea just without the Stevia.  Or maybe substitute a little maple syrup for the stevia in her recipe.
  Enjoy. Pin It

Some fun new recipes to try....

I've been trying some new recipes this week, and found a couple worth passing along.  We made Everyday Paleo's Puerto Rican Beef, with mashed sweet potatoes the other night and it was a hit.  It has a very homey, comfort food sort of appeal.  

 And last night we had Pulled Pork Barbecue from Primal Palate, and Roasted Root Veggies from Sarah Fragoso's Everyday Paleo Book, which if you have the book it's on page 139.  The roasted veggies was an attempt to venture outside my normal veggies, and it was delish!  I haven't had beets since  was a kid and even thought I didn't like them.  But I'm finding that many of the veggies I thought I didn't like are actually quite good, thus the reason I am trying to venture out a bit.  The Roasted Root Veggies contain, beets, parsnips, carrots, red onion, garlic and some seasonings, which are a delicious combination worth trying.  As for the Pulled Pork Barbecue, it was really quite good, it got a thumbs up from the kids.  Finding a good tasting "Barbecue" sauce since going Paleo has been a challenge, this one is good, in fact probably the best one I have tasted so far, and I will probably make this dish again.  But I'm still holding out for the barbecue recipe that makes me gasp and go Ahh now this is it!!  I shredded my meat, added it back to the crock pot, poured the sauce over and mixed well, then left it on low for a while and finished getting the veggies ready.  Oh and I used honey for the Stevia.  

One thing I will warn you, I don't consider the Pulled Pork recipe to be budget, any recipe that requires me to purchase ingredients I don't already have and are a little spendy aren't considered budget for me.  It calls for shallots, which to me a a "luxury" item, as they are more expensive then onions.  And the smoked paprika cost me over $6 a bottle, while tasty, it's a bit expensive and not something that Winco carries at all, nor did I find it at the Natural foods store, I found it at Murphy's Market in Cutten.  And it uses a large amount of chicken broth that is discarded, I would suggest straining it and saving it for a soup.  I can't stand waste, when I boiled my sweet potatoes, I saved the broth from them too, lot's of good nutrients in there.  Anyway, enjoy and happy eating. Pin It

Sauerkraut and Apple Pork Roast

 Sauerkraut and Apple Pork Roast

Tonight I decided to try something different, I bought some sauerkraut a while ago with the intentions of making this but never got around to it until today.  I was a little hesitant as I am not a sauerkraut lover and neither are the kids, but took the plunge and decided it was time to venture out and try something different.  And it was awesome, it ended up being a favorite!  So... that said here is the recipe (keep in mind this can easily be scaled down for smaller serving sizes):

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Another take on Cauliflower Fried Rice...

Last night I made another version of "Fried Rice" and as usual it was delicious!  I used yellow onion because I was out of green onion and added some Five Spice.  I love Five Spice, so I think it added a great flavor, I think I will keep both ways in my recipe book depending on the dish it is being served with and/or my mood.  Give it a try, I would start with about 1/4 tsp of the Five Spice, taste it, and go from there.

My camera and my computer are at odds this week and will not let me upload the photos I have.  So if I can't figure it out soon and get them to play nice together I will just post the recipes without the pictures, it's just not as much fun when you can't see the finished product. Pin It

Kale Chips

I just remade my Kale chips, this time with olive oil instead of coconut oil (although cooking with Olive Oil is not recommended as it increases the Omega 6 level), it sure tastes better.  And I tried making them with Lacinato Kale instead and it was great, in fact, I like it better.  Give it a try if you haven't already, and as I mention in the recipe go easy on the sea salt, it's easy to over do it.

http://budgetpaleo.blogspot.com/2011/03/kale-chips.html

oh, and I baked this batch at 400 degrees, it seemed to work well for the Lacinato but not for the curly leaf. Pin It

Kale Chips

Kale is the most nutrient dense vegetable you can eat, so any way you can add it to your diet is beneficial.  This way is not only beneficial but fun too!

1 large bunch of Kale

1 1/2 TBSP Coconut Oil Melted ( I like to use Expeller pressed so there isn't the coconut flavor)

sea salt to taste (a tiny bit goes a long way)

Curly leaf Kale

Start by tearing your kale off the stalks into about 2 inch pieces until you have about 4 cups.  Placing them in a salad spinner, wash them thoroughly and dry well.  Then place them in a large freezer size ziploc bag, melt 1 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil and pour over the kale.  Zip your bag shut and shake well to coat, dump your kale out onto a baking sheet and sprinkle with sea salt ( be careful not to over salt them!), go easy with the salt.  

Kale with oil and salt ready to bake.

Stir, spread out evenly and bake at 350 degrees (or 375 if your oven runs cool)  for about 10-15 minutes watching closely near the end.  Cool and enjoy.

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Italian Summer Squash

4-5 very large yellow summer squash, cut into strips ( I cut them in half and then into strips because they were so large)

2 yellow onions thinly sliced (or any onion of your choice)

2 tsp minced garlic

1 1/2 tsp basil

1 1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

2 bay leaves

olive oil

Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat.  Add onion and cook unti tender.  Then add the tomatoes, , squash and remaining ingredients and simmer covered over low heat until squash is done to your liking.  Stir occasionally while it is cooking and don't forget to remove the bay leaves before serving. Pin It

Spanish Cauliflower Rice

This is my version of traditional Spanish Rice with a twist, it's not rice!  It's actually cauliflower, and  it is so good, you won't believe you are eating cauliflower!

2 heads of cauliflower, just florets removed and pulsed in food processor till size of rice,  (save the stalks for making soup or broth later).

3 TBSP bacon grease

1 onion chopped

2 cloves of Garlic chopped

1/2 a small green pepper, chopped, (I was out so I subbed 1 mini red and 1 mini yellow pepper and it was great!)

1 (10 ounce) can Mexican Recipe Stewed tomatoes (I chopped my tomatoes smaller)

1 teaspoon Hot Mexican Style Chili Powder

1 tsp ground cumin

1 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Heat your bacon grease in a heavy skillet, I always use my cast iron 10" pan.  Add the onion, peppers and garlic and saute for a few minutes till onions are soft.  

Then add your riced cauliflower and fry over high heat for a couple of minutes.  Stir in your canned Mexican tomatoes and continue to cook for a couple more minutes over high heat until the liquid has evaporated, stirring only occasionally.

And your done, serve it up and enjoy.  

A great quick, easy, tasty side dish. 

Try adding a protein to it for a complete meal.   It is a very forgiving recipe, so you could try adding some Jalapeno, cilantro, whatever sounds good to you.  I like it just like this, mildly spicy, if you want it more bland try substituting regular chili powder for the hot chili powder.  

Enjoy!

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FRIED CAULIFLOWER RICE

 This makes family size servings, to make less just 1/2 the recipe.  If I were you I would make the whole recipe, you  will want the left overs.

2 heads of cauliflower

5-6 green onions, sliced

1/2 cup chopped yellow onion

1 TBSP minced garlic

1 tsp grated ginger (or more if you want a stronger ginger flavor)

1 cup of diced carrots (as close to the same size as possible)

2 eggs, scrambled

6 TBSP Coconut Amino's

3 TBSP Coconut Oil

Begin by removing just the flowerets from your cauliflower, not the stems (you can save the other parts to make soup later if you would like).  Place them in a food processor a little at a time and pulse till about the size of rice.  

Place in a casserole dish covered with a lid or with plastic wrap and microwave 3-6 minutes (my microwave is weak so it took 6 minutes).  During that time take your onion, green onion, garlic and carrots and saute in about 3 TBSP Coconut oil, just a few minutes, till the onions are getting translucent.  Add your "Rice" and "stir Fry" for a few minutes, adding your coconut amino's and a good dose of salt and pepper to flavor. 

I like mine a little brown and crispy, it's all up to what you want.  If your eggs are prescrambled then just add them to the pan and mix in, if not plate your "Fried Rice" and scramble your eggs in the same pan and mix in. 

Top with a little sesame oil and/or sesame seeds if desired and enjoy!   Serve with your choice for protein, shrimp, beef, chicken, fish, take your choice.  I ate mine with some beef that had been marinated in, coconut Amino's, garlic, salt and pepper, fried in the same pan as the Fried Cauli Rice.  Plated with the rice and eaten mixed together was pure deliciousness!

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PIco de Gallo

PICO DE GALLO

6 roma tomatoes, diced
1/2 red onion, minced (use a little less if you are going to use the green onions too)
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro ( I like a lot of cilantro, you may want to start out with 1/4 cup and go up)
1/2-1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced (1/2 a jalapeno will make a really mild salsa)
1/2 lime juiced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
dash of cumin
2 green onions, diced, I personally love the flavor the green onion lends (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Stir the tomatoes, onion, cilantro, jalapeno pepper, lime juice, garlic, cumin, salt and pepper together in a bowl.  Refrigerate for a couple hours before serving.  Makes about 12 servings (or less if you are me!)  I love this stuff, so fresh and tasty!  Serve with your lettuce wrap tacos, meat, Carne Asada Wraps etc.

Fresh veggie deliciousness!  Enjoy!

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Pumkin Caper

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

To combine clean pumpkin seeds, Olive Oil and Sea Salt, place pumpkin seeds on a clean Jelly Roll pan and drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and then mix well to coat.  Bake in a 325 degree oven for about 25-30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.  Watch it closely near the end so they don't burn. Let cool and enjoy!

 Pumpkin Puree

To make the pumpkin puree, I halved my pumpkins, scooped out the insides and baked upside down in a roasting pan at 375 for about 1- 1 1/2 hours, cool and scoop pumpkin meat off the peel and puree in food processor.  I did squeeze some of the water out of about 1/4 of the pumpkin so it wouldn't be so watery.  Looking forward to making some pumpkin soup, waffles etc.  

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Roasted Chicken

It was a busy day today, I got home late so everyone was starving and devoured dinner before I had a chance to take pictures.  But let me tell you it was delicious!  I made two whole chickens to feed my crew and made them each a different way.  The verdict was they were both off the charts, which is why there was nothing left of them.  Served them with Roasted Brussels Sprouts, and a Zucchini, summer squash, carrot mix.

Lisa's Mediterranean-Style Chicken, see the link below for the recipe. 

Jens Gone Paleo

Spiced Whole Roasted Chicken

2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp cloves

1/8 allspice

1/8 nutmeg

1/8 cinnamon

1 (4 pound chicken)

5 garlic cloves crushed

In a small bowl combine the salt and spices and mix well.  Then rub all over the chicken, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours ( mine was only a couple hours).  Remove from fridge, unwrap and place in a small roasting pan.  Preheat oven to 500 degrees, stuff the chicken with the garlic cloves and place breast side down.  Roast 15 minutes, then reduce heat to  450 degrees and continue roasting for 15 minutes.  Baste with drippings and reduce heat to 425 degrees and roast for 30 minutes.  Remove and let stand for 20 minutes before serving.

Here is the link for the Brussels Sprouts this is another quick and easy side dish:

Roasted Brussel Sprouts 

For the mixed vegetables, I added a couple tablespoons of olive oil to my largest skillet and filled it with 3 zucchini, 2 summer squash,  a small bag of pre-sliced carrot chips, one white onion chopped, 4 chopped garlic cloves and a sprinkle of sea salt.

Then I just sauteed them over high heat until they were nicely done.  Quick and easy!  That's the way to go.

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Zucchini Two Ways

This is a very easy recipe, 

Modified  from All Recipes, by  Wanda Penton

ZUCCHINI WITH PECANS

 11/2 cups julienned zucchini

1 tsp olive oil

dash of  garlic powder

Dash of pepper

2 TBSP toasted, chopped pecans

In a skillet, saute zucchini in olive oil for about 5 minutes or until crisp-tender.  Sprinkle with garlic powder, salt, pepper and pecans and serve. 

Another really easy zucchini recipe

ZUCCHINI GALORE

From All Recipes, submitted by Flora

Ingredients: 

3 zucchini sliced in half moons ( I did julienned)

1 sweet onion chopped

2 TBSP olive oil

salt to taste

Cut your zucchini in half lengthwise and then slice crosswise to make the half -moons.  Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, pour in the olive oil and then saute onion until lightly browned.  Stir in zucchini and continue to saute until zucchini is soft and lightly browned.  Season with salt to taste if desired.

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