BIG flavors and a pinch of attitude!
Vietnamese Pork Meatballs
Enjoy these little Vietnamese inspired pork meatballs as an appetizer as pictured below, in a soup, in a salad pictured above, or even on a sandwich! I wanted to create a meatball and I knew flavors like fresh ginger, garlic, cilantro and lemongrass would pair nicely with pork. So here’s my take Vietnamese meatballs that are light and full of fresh flavors!…
Hasselback Sweet Potatoes
Don’t you just love sweet potatoes! They are probably one of my favorite carbs to indulge in. And they are so versatile too! I had been wanting to make hasselback potatoes for a long time, but I very rarely, like once a year rarely, eat white potatoes. So why not try it with sweet potatoes? This recipe is super easy and a fun presentation for the humble sweet potato too!…
Spicy Whole Roasted Cauliflower
This whole roasted cauliflower will surely impress your guests at a dinner party! I have always liked cauliflower. Lately I’ve added it to some of my meals as “cauli mash” to replace mashed potatoes. I’ve also tried it out as “cauli rice” for a low carb rice option. And of course roasting or steaming the florets is a go to option most of the time. But sometimes, the simplicity of having something in it’s original state is, well, elegant and even dramatic. Don’t be intimidated to roast this beautiful vegetable whole.
I had just received my bottles of MinaHarissa and knew I wanted to create something beautiful with the amazing color of the red pepper sauce. And the contrast of the red with the white cauliflower was sure to give me the elegant and dramatic look I had imagined. I knew I had to roast at a high temperature to bring out the natural sweetness in the vegetable, so I decided on 450 degrees fahrenheit. But I also knew that the core of the cauliflower inside would be harder to cook through and get soft. I had seen other recipes that called for blanching or steaming the cauliflower before roasting it to insure the core got done. But, I decided to try something different.
First thing I did was to line a baking sheet or roasting pan with foil to ensure an easy clean up at the end. Next, I chose my cooking fat to coat the cauliflower. I having been using ghee pretty exclusively in my cooking lately as it tastes amazing, has a high smoke point, and is good for you! Next, I added a smoky element using Flavor God Chipotle seasoning, then I brushed on the MinaHarissa and made sure to coat evenly. In the oven for approximately 30 minutes.
Okay, next step is to ensure the cauliflower core gets tender. To the baking dish, add about 1/2 cup of water or about 1/4 inch of water in dish, season top with more Flavor God or just sea salt, and cover with ovenproof lid or foil. Roast another 20 minutes and then check with a wooden skewer in the middle. It’s done when the skewer slides through easily. Make sure to let it cool for at least 5 minutes before cutting through as it will be very hot! Enjoy as a side dish to any meal. This one is sure to impress your friends!
Spicy Whole Roasted Cauliflower
Recipe Type
:
Side
Author:
Natasha Gildea
Prep time:
5 mins
Cook time:
50 mins
Total time:
55 mins
Serves:
4
Ingredients
Instructions
3.2.2885
Spicy Whole Roasted Cauliflower
This whole roasted cauliflower will surely impress your guests at a dinner party! I have always liked cauliflower. Lately I’ve added it to some of my meals as “cauli mash” to replace mashed potatoes. I’ve also tried it out as “cauli rice” for a low carb rice option. And of course roasting or steaming the florets is a go to option most of the time. But sometimes, the simplicity of having something in it’s original state is, well, elegant and even dramatic. Don’t be intimidated to roast this beautiful vegetable whole. …
Paleo Broccoli Salad
Broccoli Salad. I know this isn’t quite something you’d think of for the middle of January, but I got it stuck in my head, and had to make it. So there’s that. My version has a few twists in it but still reminds you of that classic Broccoli Salad that your aunt or somebody would bring over to the summer potluck!
I don’t care for raisins. Like not one bit, so I subbed in organic dried goji berries and still achieved that little hint of sweetness in the dish. Raw red onions are another one of those things I just can’t do. Luckily I do like raw shallots, so that was a perfect substitution in this recipe and I opted to add it in minced in the dressing portion rather than in a dice in the salad, so it’s just a hint. I also don’t care for sugar and soybean oil filled mayos. Gross. I was lucky enough to get my hands on some new Paleo Approved Mayo by Mark Sisson‘s Primal Kitchen Foods… It’s sooo yummilicious! It’s made using avocado oil, cage free eggs, and it’s free of sugar, soy and canola! It’s amazing! Since I don’t use regular cane sugar in my daily life anymore, I surely didn’t want to add it in here for the dressing portion as many recipes call for. I very lightly sweetened it with a teaspoon of raw honey whisked into the dressing. You can definitely adjust it up or down or omit altogether especially if following the Whole30 or The 21 Day Sugar Detox like many people are this month. And lastly, I did keep in a few of the traditional ingredients such as bacon and sunflower seeds and added some grape tomatoes just for fun!!
In my opinion, this version kept the main components of a broccoli salad with a few alterations that still kept it tasting true. It’s no secret that hubby doesn’t always like the same foods as me, but I’m happy to say that, once again, I was able to “fool’ him into eating my “hippy sh*t” as he sometimes refers it.
I love to cook and eat seasonally, but sometimes your body just wants what it wants! So don’t wait for Spring or Summer to enjoy your favorite dishes. Make them whenever you want! I hope you enjoy this recipe and if you have any questions, please let me know! If you make this or any of my dishes, I’d love to hear your feedback!
Paleo Broccoli Salad
Recipe Type
:
Side Dish
Author:
Natasha Gildea
Prep time:
15 mins
Total time:
15 mins
Serves:
4 servings
Ingredients
Instructions
Paleo Broccoli Salad
Broccoli Salad. I know this isn’t quite something you’d think of for the middle of January, but I got it stuck in my head, and had to make it. So there’s that. My version has a few twists in it but still reminds you of that classic Broccoli Salad that your aunt or somebody would bring over to the summer potluck!
I don’t care for raisins. Like not one bit, so I subbed in organic dried goji berries and still achieved that little hint of sweetness in the dish. …
Salsas are so fun and easy to make and you can really go in any direction flavor-wise to suit your meal, mood, or season! For this one, I was inspired by the amazing photos on Half Baked Harvest’s blog and Instagram feed. Check her out for amazing recipes and photography! Anyway, back to the salsa. Pomegranates speak Fall, as do apples. Mangos, maybe not so much, but I always love a good mango salsa. So, I added it anyway. This salsa is super fresh and can brighten up any seafood dish, especially shrimp or fish tacos! See my recipe for Paleo Shrimp Tacos, where I added this salsa!
Pomegranata Apple Mango Salsa
Recipe Type
:
Condiment
Author:
Natasha Gildea
Prep time:
10 mins
Total time:
10 mins
Serves:
1 mason jar
Ingredients
Instructions
Sweet Potato, Bacon, Egg Breakfast Skillet
Sweet Potato, Bacon, Egg Breakfast Skillet
I love sweet potatoes. And bacon. And eggs. Especially when you add all 3 of these ingredients together in a cast iron skillet. The sweetness of the sweet potatoes with the saltiness of the bacon, and that gooey yolk that acts like a sauce. Here’s an easy recipe that incorporates all 3 ingredients together along with some smoky chipotle seasoning. Enjoy this for breakfast, or really any meal of the day! I use FlavorGod Chipotle seasoning, however you may use a combination of sea salt, cracked pepper, chipotle powder and cumin to achieve a nice smoky flavor with a little bit of heat. In addition to using FlavorGod in all my dishes, I also love using OMGhee brand ghee, however you may choose to use regular butter instead. Ghee is made from butter that has been heated and the milk solids and water removed. I have switched to using butter made from grass-fed/pasture raised cows, such as Kerrygold, due to the health benefits versus grain fed cows.
Sweet Potato, Bacon, Egg Breakfast Skillet
Sweet Potato, Bacon, Egg Skillet
Recipe Type
:
Breakfast
Author:
Natasha Gildea
Prep time:
10 mins
Cook time:
25 mins
Total time:
35 mins
Serves:
4
Ingredients
Instructions
3.2.2885
quick and easy paleo shrimp tacos
Paleo Shrimp Tacos
I like TACOS. Like, I really like them. I could eat them on the daily, but especially on Taco Tuesdays! Shrimp tacos cook super fast, so this recipe is great when you need a quick dinner! I like to always have a bag of frozen, uncooked shrimp in my freezer because they are super easy to defrost in a pinch.
For the shrimp, my favorite way to cook them is in the oven under the broiler for approximately 6 minutes. It’s fast and hassle free. I melt some ghee and my seasonings and toss the thawed shrimp to coat both sides. Then lay them flat on a foil lined baking sheet for easy clean up. You know the shrimp are cooked when they turn pink.
For the tortillas, I used Stupid Easy Paleo’s recipe for Simple Paleo Tortillas. They are stupid easy! And so good!
For the Cumin-Lime Crema, I used the recipe from the Tacolicious’ cookbook. When I’m in SF every other week, I enjoy going to TLish for some Taco Tuesday!!
For the salsa, I made a Fall inspired Pomegranate Apple Mango Salsa. This may seem to be an unlikely combo, but trust me, it worked!
Paleo Shrimp Tacos
Quick and Easy Paleo Shrimp Tacos
Recipe Type
:
Main
Author:
Natasha
Prep time:
5 mins
Cook time:
6 mins
Total time:
11 mins
Serves:
4
Ingredients
Instructions
3.2.2885
Salsas are so fun and easy to make and you can really go in any direction flavor-wise to suit your meal, mood, or season! For this one, I was inspired by the amazing photos on Half Baked Harvest’s blog and Instagram feed. Check her out for amazing recipes and photography! Anyway, back to the salsa. …
