Strawberry-Basil Vinaigrette...dreaming of Summer on a misty Spring day

As the weather warms, I once again begin to eat salads regularly.  I just can't bring myself to eat cold crisp vegetables in the dead of Winter or even the brisk Fall.  I lean towards soups and stews and roasted vegetables during those months.  But now we've had a couple hot, hot days and I'm back to buying the giant mixed greens from Costco once again...until my own garden becomes plentiful.  So today is shopping day and in a last minute decision I came home for lunch.  All we have are greens.  No cucumber, no avocado, no apples, no nothing.  Just greens.  So I peak around every corner of my fridge to see if I can find something, ANYTHING, to dress up this salad. Ah-ha!  I found Strawberry-Basil Jam from a local market down in Charlottesville.  Perfect!  I quickly made a vinaigrette and my not-so-fancy greens became a delicious salad.  Topped with a little cold/leftover flank steak and lunch was complete.  Here is a modified version of what I did to make the dressing, I assume not everyone has Strawberry-Basil jam sitting around in their fridge.  Use what you have, almost any flavor will do! And kids LOVE these slightly sweet salad dressings.
Enjoy!

1/3 cup good balsamic vinegar
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil (cold-pressed)
1 tsp stoneground or Dijon mustard
1 tsp strawberry preserves (with real ingredients, no junk) or to make it Paleo just crush up some fresh strawberries
A few basil leaves (shred in advance if you won't be using a blender/processor)
A pinch of salt
A grind or two of pepper
Process in a blender, vitamix, food processor or whisk intensely until all ingredients are well incorporated.

10:00pm pork dinner

So it's 9:55pm and I realize that I will NOT be home in time to cook dinner the following evening.  AHHHHH!!!!  Mama just wants to finish the dishes and go to bed!  I needed something easy and I needed something FAST!  I had an organic pork tenderloin in the fridge, found this recipe and made my own changes of course..... It was in the oven in no time, only ONE pan to clean and I did all the dishes and evening chores while it was roasting.  It came out just perfect, even the next day.  In fact, I just had the last piece of it for breakfast this morning, four days later!  I even made it to bed before 11:00pm = success.
Here is my version which I served with a nice kale salad.
Hope you enjoy!

• 1 large pork tenderloin (about 14 ounces)
• 3 tablespoons lard, ghee or coconut oil, divided (I used lard)
• 2 tablespoons whole grain Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons fennel seeds (I only had 1 tsp left, so I also added 1 tsp of dried rosemary)
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 2 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, sliced 1/4 inch thick (I only had one honeycrisp apple, two would've been better)

• 1/2 cup dry white wine or apple cider (I never even got to this step and it was still delicious!)

Preheat oven to 450°F. Season pork with salt and pepper.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil/lard in large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork and sear until all sides are brown, turning occasionally, about 5 minutes. Transfer pork to plate. Cool slightly. Spread mustard over top and sides of pork; press fennel seeds and/or dried rosemary into mustard. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil/lard to skillet. Add onion slices and apples; sauté over medium heat until golden, about 5 minutes. Spread evenly in skillet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place pork atop apple-onion mixture.

Transfer skillet to oven and roast until apple-onion mixture is soft and brown and meat thermometer inserted into center of pork registers 150°F, about 15 minutes. Transfer pork to platter and tent with foil. Let stand 5 minutes. 

***I stopped here because my computer died and I thought that was the end.  We ate the pork with the onion-apple mixture as it is, and it was perfectly yummy!  If I had remembered and had time, I may do the final step, written here...

Meanwhile, pour white wine over apple-onion mixture in skillet. Stir mixture over high heat until slightly reduced, about 2 minutes. Cut pork on diagonal into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Spoon apple-onion mixture onto plates. Top with pork and serve.

Thai Coconut Chicken Soup...it's Paleo!

I LOVE Thai Food.  And this soup is one of the easiest and most Thai-tasting Thai dishes I make.  As always, I didn't really measure, so I'll do the best I can to re-create.  I also had a very busy-bodied-won't-stop-talking-leave-mommy-ALONE SO I CAN FINISH DINNER...sorry, it was just one of those moments.  He was the perfect child ALL DAY, until it was time for me to cook.  Then ALL he wanted was to help but this was one of those times when the help of a four year old was more burden than anything else, I needed to get dinner on the table.  And fast!  (I know I know, I will look back at this when he's fourteen and wants nothing to do with me or my cooking and wish I could turn back the clock...anyways...) My point is if I can whip this up in the time I did with the distractions I had, anyone can!
So here's the "recipe"...

• 1 quart chicken broth (homemade is best, for tonight I used Kirkland Organic Chicken Stock)
• 1–2 red Thai (or jalapeno) peppers, seeded and finely chopped (plus slices for garnish) ***totally optional, I don't use them.
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tablespoon grated ginger
• zest of one lime
• juice of one lime
• 3-4 tablespoons Thai fish sauce
• 1 container shiitake mushrooms, sliced (approx. 2 cups)
• 1 pound(ish) package boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1 handful of watercress or fresh spinach
• 1-2 scallions, chopped *optional, I had some that needed using
• 2 tablespoon chopped cilantro (plus sprigs for garnish)

Combine broth, coconut milk, pepper if using, garlic, ginger, lime zest and fish sauce in a medium saucepan or soup pot.  Bring to a simmer and add chicken, stirring, until chicken is cooked...about 3 minutes.  Add mushrooms and cook about 2-3 more minutes.  Stir in scallions and watercress/spinach until it begins to wilt, about 1 minute. Add cilantro.  Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with sprigs of cilantro and slices of pepper.  For non-Paleo eating you could have this over some rice or rice noodles but if you are watching your weight or have blood sugar issues, I would not recommend this.  Also, if the lemongrass at my store wasn't moldy I would've added that to the recipe too. 

So EASY and SOOOOO DELICIOUS!!!
(there is just no reason NOT to make it!)

Magic snack

So I like my son to think he eats somewhat normal...but really, I know he already knows that he doesn't.  Regardless, I like to make him "normal" looking treats.  These are not as sweet as they look, but (to me and my family) they taste delicious.  Give them a try if you are looking for something special while still trying to maintain a Paleo/Primal-esque lifestyle.  I didn't use a microwave like the recipe suggested (come on, you know me!)  And I put 55% dark chocolate chips on half the batch AFTER they came out of the oven.  Half Paleo, half mostly Paleo.  Enjoy!

Time to make the doughnuts...

My son recently caught a glimpse of a box of Dunkin Donuts, and his eyes were drawn to the chocolate cake doughnut.  Not the frosted, not the glazed and not the ones with sprinkles (which surprised me) but as most of you know I do not give my son gluten or sugar (or or or...) SO there was my challenge.  Create a chocolate cake-like doughnut using only approved ingredients for our household.  I went to the store and bought a doughnut pan which was almost as exciting to my son as the doughnuts themselves.  I found this recipe and made a few changes.  No ginger, lemon peel or orange flower water.  Instead I added raw cacao powder (about 2 tsp, add more if you actually want them to taste like chocolate) and I added a splash of vanilla extract.  Instead of honey, I used real maple syrup.  They were delicious, although not very chocolate-y, my son didn't notice.  For the second batch I decided to make cinnamon doughnuts (which I liked much better.)  I used no cacao powder this time, still the maple syrup instead of honey and I added 2 full tsp of cinnamon and 1/2 tsp of vanilla.  I enjoyed mine drizzled with a little maple syrup but they didn't even need it.  Not only do they taste delicious but they make a healthy breakfast, snack or anytime treat.  Happy baking!

Potatoes, potatoes and more (you guessed it) POTATOES!

So our wonderful farm share over at Singing Frog Farm has loaded us up with potatoes galore.  After a quick trip out of town I came home to see the potaotes were still there, in the pantry, no eyes, but waiting for creativity and consumption.  For my first trick I used an old standby recipe of mine...see here...this time using lamb, vermouth and chicken stock since there was no red wine in the house (crazy, I know!) and sans the celery since we had none.  Tomorrow night I plan to make a giant batch of German potato salad (recipe suggestions welcome, so far I found this one.)  It's a favorite of my brother whom I will be visiting this week so I plan to make plenty to share.  If that won't take care of the bushel load, I will probably just give the rest away or trade them for eggs (anyone?)
We generally don't eat too many potatoes (or many starches for that matter) but we always love to use everything our CSA provides, plus they are delicious...and certainly a whole food.  If you are diabetic, pre-diabetic or trying to lose weight- simply limit your consumption of white potatoes/starches in general.  A good guideline is to limit yourself to one serving or less per day, and make that serving what fits into the palm of your hand (cup your hand, there...that's your serving, no piling too high!)  Also, remember to have your potatoes with plenty of good fat and some protein too.  Happy end-of-summer eating!  As sad as I will be saying goodbye to hot and sunny, long Summer days (and perfect tomatoes) I look forward to my most favorite season for cooking- the Fall.

flank steak with slow, easy (and always worth it) brussel sprouts

you will need...
1-2lb flank steak (grass-fed if available)
lard (from pastured pigs, available at local farms/farm markets...not the grocery store kind)

2 lbs brussel sprouts, washed, ends cut off and halved
2 portabella mushroom caps, chopped into 1" pieces (you could also used pre-sliced or baby bellas)
1 medium onion (I prefer Vidalia), thinly sliced
4-5 pieces of prosciutto, chopped into 1" pieces
6 T of grass-fed unsalted butter, divided into 4 pieces (we use Trickling Springs or Kerry Gold which is widely available)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 c. pine nuts, toasted
1 garlic clove, minced
1 c. red wine (a light red wine such as a Pinot Noir is best)
a nice chunk of parmesan for serving
course sea salt for garnish

salt and pepper the steak
pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
heat 1-2 T of butter in a large frying pan, caramelize the onion (add a pinch of salt or a grind or two)
melt 2 T of butter in a dutch oven or other large oven proof pot
add chopped brussel sprouts and caramelized onion to pot and stir
place pot in oven
melt 1 T butter in the same pan that you used for the onions, add garlic, heat until fragrant (1-2 min)
add mushrooms and a pinch of salt (or two) and sauté until softened (about 7 minutes)
add garlic/mushroom mixture to brussel sprouts and return to oven until brussel sprouts are just about fork tender (approx. 15-20 minutes)
mix in chopped prosciutto and return to oven for 5 more minutes.
meanwhile, heat 1 T butter in pan, add garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes
add wine and reduce by half

heat lard in a cast iron skillet on high, when it's smokin' hot add steak, cook 3-5 minutes on each side

pour red wine reduction into finished brussel sprouts, toss
add pine nuts, toss
serve with parmesan shavings
slice steak across the grain, serve slices with a sprinkle of course sea salt

took some time to make this one...but SOOOOOOO worth it.
Now eat up, and don't forget to enjoy a glass of that wine you opened with it!