Blackened Flank Steak

Simple, but delicious! Easy, but tasty. Quick, but rewarding! Flank steak is one of my favorite cuts of meat as it packs such huge flavor and versatility in the kitchen! It can be fixed up as a quick stand-by dinner or prepared as an elegant gourmet feast! ... Tonight I opted for "quick" ... and yet I felt like I ate like a queen! Hope you enjoy!

Recipe:

Flank Steak, about 2 lbs.

1 T black pepper

1 T garlic powder

2 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. dry mustard

1 tsp. onion powder

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

olive oil

Mix together all spice ingredients. Coat both sides of steak with dry mixture. Let meat sit for about 10 minutes with spices. Coat a cast iron skillet with olive oil, and heat until oil is hot. Sear meat in pan, and cook for about 5-7 minutes on each side. Slice diagonally in thin strips.

St. Patty's Paleo Corned Beef & Cabbage

Happy St. Patrick's Day

If you're lucky enough to be Irish, you're lucky enough! - Irish saying.

Thursday is the big day. I bought my corned beef brisket tonight! I'm planning on preparing it the same way I did last year because (if I do say so myself) it was the best I've ever made! I hope you enjoy and have a Happy St. Patrick's Day!

So, here's a heads-up on the recipe! Go shopping and get that crock pot out! :-)

Recipe:

3-4 lb. corned beef brisket (I trimmed the thick layer of fat off the bottom)

water

2 bay leaves

2 cloves garlic

ground black pepper

water

Put corned beef, pepper, garlic, bay leaves in crock pot and pour just enough water to cover beef. Cook on low for 8 hours.

I did the cabbage a little different this year. I was gone all day, so instead of adding the cabbage and veggies to the crock pot, I just cooked them up separately when I got home... about 30 minutes before serving.

1 head cabbage, quartered

1 onion, sliced thin

2 cloves garlic

2 carrots, sliced

2 tsp olive oil

1/2 C corned beef juice from the crock pot!

Saute onion and garlic in olive oil. Add carrots, and a splash of the broth. Add cabbage, remaining broth and cover. Cook until cabbage is done about 20 minutes.

Slice corned beef and serve over the cabbage! Sprinkle with a little more black pepper and celtic grey sea salt (optional).

A St. Patrick's Day Toast:

Here's to a long life and a merry one

A quick death and an easy one

A pretty girl and an honest one

A cold beer - and another one!

Apple and Onion-Stuffed Pork Chops

As a kid, I really didn't like pork chops much... I always remember them being dry and chewy! As an adult, I have come to really enjoy them! And as a Paleo enthusiast... I love their versatility in a recipe! Tonight's dinner was one I found on the Food Network (and made only minor changes). We completely enjoyed this (even the kiddos)... So, I give this a "highly recommend" rating.

Now, if we could only figure out who gets the (1) leftover chop for lunch tomorrow?!?

... Ro Sham Bo?

Recipe:

4 boneless pork chops, about 1 inch thick

2 slices bacon, roughly chopped

1 large sweet onion

1 granny smith apple, peeled, cored and thinly diced

olive oil

2 T pineapple juice & 6 oz pineapple juice

1 tsp. dried thyme

1/2 tsp. ground sage

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

ground black pepper

pinch sea salt

1 T fresh parsley

1 T fresh lemon zest

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Gently cut a pocket horizontally in the side of the pork chop. Season the outside of the chops with some freshly ground black pepper and sea salt. In a skillet over medium heat, saute the bacon. When it starts to crisp, add the onions, thyme and sage. Cook until onions start to caramelize (about 10 minutes). Pour mixture in a bowl. Add apples and 2 T pineapple juice to the bowl and mix well. Stuff each pork chop with the mixture and secure the opening with toothpicks (there will be leftover filling). In the same skillet, add olive oil to coat pan and heat to medium-high heat. Sear the pork chops on both sides until golden brown. Transfer to a baking dish, and bake for 20-25 minutes. While pork chops are cooking, add pineapple juice to skillet and deglaze pan. Bring the liquid to a simmer and cook until it reduces (about 5 minutes). Add leftover apple, onion and bacon mixture to skillet. Add lemon zest and fresh parsley. Pour sauce over the pork chops and serve! YUM! :-)

Barcelona Burger!

Tonight's dinner was inspired by a meal Annie recently had while visiting Barcelona, Spain. She ordered a burger and this is how it was served! Wonderfully Paleo and absolutely delicious. I highly recommend trying this twist for your next burger night! ...Use really good ground beef for this! Hope you enjoy. We all did... even the kids, when they got past the shock of seeing an egg on their hamburger patty! :-)

Thanks, Annie for sharing your Barcelona stories and restaurant experiences!

Recipe:

about 2 lbs. grass-fed ground beef or buffalo

(add your choice of seasoning to the ground beef. I used: black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, pinch chili flakes, and sea salt. Mix well and form into 4-6 patties).

4 eggs (one for each patty)

olive oil

3 oz. prosciutto (made into crispy chips)

Grill burgers to desired doneness. In a skillet, fry the eggs (over easy style). When burgers are grilled to your liking, top with the fried egg and sprinkle with the tasty prosciutto chips! Enjoy!

Prosciutto chips:

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet with an olive oil spray (or coat with a little olive oil). Place thin prosciutto slices on cookie sheet. Bake for about 10-12 minutes (tuning once). Careful not to burn! They cook quick and will crisp up more after they cool slightly. Once cool enough, just break up the pieces with your hands for delicious bite-sized chips!

Sauteed Greens & Grilled Chicken

I've been a little strapped for posting time this week, so thank you Amenah, from Santa Cruz Central, for sending me this wonderful recipe! Amenah is a fairly new Paleo enthusiast (a vegetarian convert... we LOVE those). She is also an amazing cook, exploring in Paleo cookery... so thanks for sharing! Amenah made great use of some local Farmer's Market finds... like, romanesco and collard greens! Super fun... hope you enjoy!

Thank you, Amenah!

Amenah's Recipe:

2 TBL bacon grease

4 small leaks, discard the tough stuff, wash carefully and slice
4-5 cloves garlic, crushed
1 bunch collard greens, 1 inch ribbons
1 small head romanesco (the spiney green cauliflower) broken into 1-2 inch pieces
1/2 c water
sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

In a large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat sautee leaks and garlic in bacon grease a few minutes until soft.

Reduce heat to medium and add collard greens, sautee a few minutes.

Add in romanesco and water, cook about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until greens and romanesco are a little tender.

Salt and pepper to taste.

The chicken in the picture is something I made last night and heated up. I took handfuls of fresh herbs (thyme, rosemary, sage, marjoram, oregano, and dill) and chopped them up really fine and then crushed an entire head of garlic, ground in some salt and pepper, and stirred in a generous amount of olive oil. I quartered a whole organic chicken, peeled back the skin, and massaged the mixture on all sides, under and on top of the skin. I let the chicken sit for 20 minutes and then created an aluminum foil pouch for it which I placed on a medium-low gas grill, turned it once, and then unwrapped it and directly grilled it. It turned out INCREDIBLE. Sorry, I didn't take pics but if you don't already make a chicken this way, try it. It's so savory and yummy.

Quick & Easy Paleo Broiled Flank Steak

It was a busy day and an even busier evening. Days like these require quick fixes! But that is NO reason we have to sacrifice flavor, quality, or our Paleo diligence. Hope you enjoy this QUICK & easy Paleo feast! :-)

This would be great grilled... but it is SO cold outside, I decide to try the broiler... It worked great!

Ingredients:

~2 lbs. Flank steak

1/4 C lime juice

Spices:

2 tsp. each: sea salt, black pepper, garlic powder

2 T dried parsley

Season flank steak with spices (1 tsp. each side) and parsley (1 T each side). Really rub the spices into the meat. Put seasoned flank steak in a ziplock bag or tupperware-type container. Pour lime juice over the steak. Let it sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes. Heat broiler. Place flank steak on a broiler pan and broil for about 5 minutes on each side. Thats it! Let it sit for about 5 minutes on the cutting board. Slice across the grain and serve! It had a GREAT flavor for a quick fix! We served this with steamed broccoli and baked sliced sweet potatoes (our typical standby side).

Hope you enjoy... we did!

Salmon with Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus Spears & Sauteed Spinach

I thought this was a hearty and decadent meal. It seemed the right thing to do for a Holiday! If you enjoy bacon (and I haven't met anyone who doesn't) then I promise you will love this!

The bacon-wrapped asparagus spears make a great appetizer, too! (I know what I'm bringing to my next Paleo party!)

Enjoy! :-)

Ingredients

1 large Salmon filet (wild-caught)

1 T spicy stone ground mustard

1 T capers

1 package bacon, uncured (reserve two slices for the spinach)

1 bunch asparagus (on the thicker side)

1 T olive oil

1 bunch fresh baby spinach (or 9oz pre-washed bag)

2 cloves garlic, minced

(2 sliced cooked bacon)... chopped

ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush mustard on fish and top with capers and black pepper. Bake salmon for about 10 minutes. Remove from oven. Turn on Broiler. Cut bacon slices in half and wrap around a piece of asparagus. Place on a broiler pan. Broil for about 10 minutes, or until bacon browns. When bacon is browned, turn asparagus over and broil for another 10 minutes (or so) to brown the bottom side. Set aside. Put salmon back under the broiler for just about 5 minutes to brown the mustard topping. Serve with bacon-wrapped asparagus spears and sauteed spinach.

Spinach~

I cooked up a couple extra pieces of bacon to add to the spinach! Heat olive oil in a pan and saute garlic. Add spinach and toss until it cooks down. Toss in the bacon pieces!

Absolutely yummy!

Paleo Butternut Squash Soup

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

This recipe was sent to me by our lovely, new mommy, Whitney. I have to thank her... and apologize to her at the same time, because I kind of changed the recipe up a bit. Some alterations were intentional in order to keep it within Paleo boundaries, the other modifications were accidental! I failed to read the recipe in its entirety and consequently ended up with this post! It turned out VERY good! But I promise I will follow the recipe closer next time! This recipe is adapted from the Food Network Kitchens, under Butternut Squash Soup.

Perfect for a rainy Valentine's dinner! Hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:

3 T olive oil

2 lbs. ground pork sausage

1 yellow onion, thinly sliced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 T ground sage

1 tsp. sea salt

1 tsp. black pepper

2 15 oz. cans diced tomatoes

1 butternut squash, peeled, halved, seeded and diced (hardest part of the whole meal was cutting this up)... But they do sell pre-cut/peeled butternut squash for a time-saving option!

4 C organic chicken broth

1 tsp. coconut vinegar

Recipe:

Heat olive oil in a stock pot over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, sage, salt and pepper. Add sausage and cook until crumbly. Cover and cook until fragrant and soft. Add Tomatoes and cook for about 10 more minutes. Add the squash and broth. Bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered until vegetables are tenter, about 20 minutes or so. Stir in the vinegar last. Mix well! Serve in some soup bowls and top with chives, if desired, and enjoy!

Paleo Chicken Scallopini Over Spaghetti Squash

I opted for another Italian dinner tonight. It was hearty, filling and delicious! I always hear how difficult it is to give up Italian food when choosing the Paleo lifestyle. I hope that you don't believe that's true! While it might be a little bit more challenging, it is still completely possible to enjoy Italian cuisine. Spaghetti squash is amazing as a pasta substitute ...and was particularly tasty tonight under the chicken & capers. Enjoy! :-)

Ingredients:

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

2 T olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 C almond meal

1 T dried parsley

pinch sea salt and 1 tsp. black pepper

1/2 C sliced mushrooms

2 T capers

2 T lemon juice

1/4 C white wine (or chicken broth)

1 lemon, thinly sliced

*Spaghetti squash

Recipe:

Pound chicken breasts pretty thin (about 1/4 inch). Combine almond meal, parsley, salt and pepper in a shallow bowl. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan. Dredge chicken breasts in almond flour mixture. Brown chicken breast in olive oil, about 5 minutes on each side. Remove chicken breasts. In same pan, add garlic and mushrooms and saute until tender (you may need to add a tad more olive oil). Add wine and deglaze pan. Stir in capers and lemon juice. Add chicken breasts back to pan. Place thinly sliced lemons over the chicken pieces, cover, and cook for another 10 minutes. Serve over a bed of spaghetti squash & enjoy a Paleo-friendly Italian meal!

*This is how I make the spaghetti squash (there are other methods out there... this just works well with me):

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Pierce spaghetti squash with a knife several times. Place entire spaghetti squash in the oven for about 30-40 minutes. Remove from oven and carefully slice in half. Spoon out the center seeds. Now place both halves back in the oven for about 10-15 more minutes in a baking pan with about 1/4 C water. When center is soft and tender, remove form oven. Let cool slightly and scoop out all the meat of the spaghetti squash into a bowl. It should be easy to scoop with a spoon from the shell and come out looking like strings of spaghetti noodles! A very versatile and tasty vegetable!

Paleo Italian Wedding Soup

This was a loooonng Monday. It was sure nice to come home and enjoy a comforting meal... so calming and soothing! I highly recommend this Paleo twist on an Italian classic. It was quick, easy, comforting and delicious. A perfect finish to a hectic day!

Ingredients:

1 lb. grass-fed ground beef

2 eggs, slightly beaten

4 T almond meal

1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning

1 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. black pepper

6 C chicken broth

2 C fresh baby spinach

1 C cauliflower (*riced cauliflower)

1 C sliced carrots

In a medium bowl, combine the ground beef, eggs, almond meal and spices... mix well. Form into small meatballs and set aside. In a large pot, heat broth to boiling. Stir in spinach leaves, carrots, cauliflower rice and meatballs. Cook at a slow low boil for about 15-20 minutes. Ladle into soup bowls and enjoy!

*Cauliflower rice: chop cauliflower into pieces and put through a food processor and shred for a rice-like consistency. I riced a whole head of cauliflower. The leftovers I put in a freezer bag for another time. It freezes great and is easy to thaw!