Category Archives: Dinner

Chicken Tikka Masala

Indian food is so good. I have been trying to come up with easy slow cooker recipes that are creative and I figured an indian dish would be great. This recipe is simple, gluten free and paleo.

Ingredients:
1 Onion
3 Tablespoons Fresh Grated Ginger
3 Tablespoon Tikka Masala Spice
1/2 Can Coconut Milk
1 Tablespoon Honey
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
1- 15oz Can Crushed Tomatoes

Start by slicing onion thin and placing in slow cooker. Add ginger, tikka masala spice, coconut milk, honey,salt, red pepper flakes and tomatoes to slow cook. Mix together well. Slice chicken thighs into large chunks and add to mixture. Took on low for 7 hours stirring occasionally if possible. After the 7 hours remove the lid, mix and turn heat on high to help sauce thicken a bit. Serve hot!

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Maple Glazer Persimmon

I always had a fun with persimmons. They come out for a bit in the fall a bit expensive but look really cool. They are kind of similar to a tomato with bright orange color and sweetness of a sweet potato.

Ingredients:
8 persimmons
1/4 Cup maple syrup to
2 tablespoons olive oil
Pinch of salt

Start by washing the persimmons and cutting off the top. Slice each into six even pieces and throw them into a bowl. Now add maple syrup olive oil and salt to the bowl. Toss together well by hand. Spread out on a foiled baking dish. Bake at 425 degrees for about 30 minutes. The outsides will start to brown and get crispy. Serve hot!

Note: persimmons have a puckering quality. Which means once prepared they can create a very dry mouth feeling that takes time to get used to. One way to avoid this is by soaking the slices in salt water for 5 minutes and then rinse before you add the maple syrup or any of the ingredients.

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Paleo Chilli

Chili season is now in full swing. A warm easy dinner great for weeknights or game night. I wanted to come up with the crockpot version that was completely Paleo. No beans or rice needed for this version.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds ground beef or ground turkey
1 large onion chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 can crushed tomatoes
2 medium sweet potatoes peeled and chopped
1/2 tablespoon sage
1/2 tablespoon oregano
2 tablespoons honey
1 tsp salt
1 tablespoon chipotle powder
3/4 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons Worchester optional
1/3 cup apple cider

Start by browning onions and meat on a large pan with the olive oil. Once browned drain fat off and pour meat into the crockpot. Add crushed tomatoes, chili powder, chipotle powder, oregano, sage, salt, honey and Worcestershire sauce. Mix well. Now add sweet potato and apple cider mix again gently. Cook on low with a lid for about eight hours. Serve hot!

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Maple Balsamic Dressing

I recently returned from Vermont and I now have a new found love for Maple Syrup. The real pure stuff. For a long time I have been buying the sugar free low cal stuff but more and more I learn how bad the artificial stuff really is. Plus real maple syrup is paleo friendly and delicious. I have been finding uses for it well beyond pancakes and french toast. I love using it in coffee and with savory items. Try this dressing on any salad and you will amazed.

Ingredients:

1/4 Cup Balsamic (the higher the quality the better)
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
4 Tablespoon Real Maple Syrup (Grade B is best)
1 inch of Salt

Place everything in a bowl and whisk well. Store in an airtight container. Serve tossed with any salad.

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Roasted Red Pepper Spread

At the cafe I am always looking for new ways to spike up a sandwich. Last weekend I was playing around with some seasonal peppers.

Ingredients:
2 Red Peppers ( or one jar roasted peppers drained)
8oz Cream Cheese
1/4 Cup Parm Cheese
1 Tablespoon Honey
1 Teaspoon Salt

To Roast Peppers:
Start by roasted whole peppers on the grill or in the broiler until black. Remove peppers from heat and let them cool. Remove the burnt skin hand. Do not rinse. Remove the stem and seeds. Slice peppers into strips.

Spread:
Place roasted pepper in food processor. Add cream cheese, parm cheese, salt and honey. Blend in food processor well.

Remove and chill in refrigerator for 20 minutes to firm up. Serve on sandwich with turkey or grilled veggies. Also works great as an appetizer on toasted bread or crackers.

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Marinaded Mushrooms

Marinaded mushrooms are easy to find on any olive bar or in a jar with other italian speciality foods. They are super easy to make and fun to serve. Try this one at your next party.

Ingredients:

2 pounds button mushrooms cleaned
1 Tablespoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Tamari (gf soy sauce)
1 Tablespoon Wishchester Sauce
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
2 teaspoons dry parsley
1 Tablespoon Honey

Start by cutting the mushrooms into 4-6 pieces depending on how big they are. Place the mushroom in a pot of water with the salt. Bring the water to a simmer and cook for about 5 more minutes. The mushrooms will start to get soft and a bit darker. Gently strain the mushrooms and pour in to a bowl to cook for 30 minutes. In a separate bowl mix together all remaining ingredients to make marinade. When ready pour marinade over mushrooms and mix gently. Serve cold or at room temp.

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Stewed Okra

I recently started loving okra. My mom always hated it so I never had it growing up. It reminds be of a giant green beans in a way but super juicy. It has slime like texture inside which takes some getting use to but when cooking with it that liquid really helps thicken any sauce naturally. This is one of Jays favorite veggie dishes so I make it a lot in the fall when Okra is in season.

Ingredients:
1 Pound Fresh Okra
1 Tablespoon Oil
1/2 Cup Tomato Sauce (can also be crushed tomato)
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Pepper
1/3 Cup Wine / Hard Cider or Water

Start by washing the okra and cutting into 1/2 inch size chunks. Add oil to pan and heat. Toss in Okra, salt, pepper and cook over high heat for 5 minutes on high. Add wine or cider and lower heat to medium. Now add tomato sauce and mix gently. Cook for another 10-15 minutes over medium heat until sauce thickens and okra becomes soft. Serve hot as a side dish with any protein.

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Simple Harvest Soup

I went apple picking over the weekend and now have a case of amazing local apples. It’s a perfect day to make my first soup of the season.

Ingredients:

1 small onion chopped
2 large apples (smoke house work best
2 small sweet potatoes
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Tablespoon Honey
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
4 Cups Broth (chicken, beef or veggie)

Pour oil into a medium size pot. Turn heat on and add onion. Allow onion to cook a few minutes or until they begin to become transparent. As onions cook peel and chop apples and sweet potatoes into large chunks. When onions are ready add sweet potatoes, apple, salt and pepper. Stir and continue to cook together for five minutes. Then add broth. Bring to a boil and then lower flame to a light simmer. Place cover on pot and cook at this temp for 1.5 hours. Now shut heat off and either purée with food processor or blender until soup is smooth and creamy. Cook uncovered for another ten minutes. Serve hot.

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Red Quinoa Salad

Quinoa really is a super food. Treat it like rice but it has 9g of protein. It is good on its own or as a side.

Ingredients:

1 cup red quinoa
1 cup cherry tomatoes sliced in half
2 cups Water
1/2 cup cilantro
1/2 Lime

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

Cook the quinoa as instructed. I prefer 1:2 ratio. For every one cup quinoa I use two cups water. Once cooked let cool in large bowl. Add cilantro, tomatoes, olive oil and lime. Toss well and serve.

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Chebe Pizza Pockets

Chebe bread mix is very versatile. My boyfriend loves pizza pockets so making a gluten free version seemed natural.

Ingredients:
1 Box Chebe Brand Pizza Mix
2 Tablespoon Oil
3/4 Cup Light Mozzarella Cheese Shredded
1 Cup Parmasan Cheese
2 Eggs
¼ Water
1/2 Tablespoon Garlic Powder
1 Cup Pizza Sauce

Start by making the dough mixture. Place the Chebe pizza mix in a bowl with oil, 1 cup of the parmesan cheese, eggs and mix. Slowly add that water and combine until a workable texture is achieved.

Now separate the dough into 10 equal pieces. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and by hand try to make a flat rectangle / oval shape out of the dough. On top of one half the rectangle place ½ a tablespoon of sauce and a pinch of mozzarella cheese. Fold over the side with no topping and seal the edges. *Hint: Do not over stuff or have sauce on edges, otherwise pockets won’t seal well.

Place each pocket on the baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for about 15-20 minutes until they start to brown. Remove and let cool before removing from tray.

You can also freeze the pocket for a quick and easy after school lunch. Just reduce cooking time to 10 minutes. Freeze in an zip-lock bag. When you’re ready to re-heat place each one on a foiled sheet and bake at 400 degrease for 10 minutes.

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