Basic Beef Stew

This is the basic method I use for my Paleo Stews. I say method, because it is not an exact recipe. As much as I try to measure everything now, and I have improved a lot, there are some things I just can't do it on. This is one of those 'what veggies are about to go bad' type of recipes. The last few carrots in the bag, the leafy stalks of celery from the center of the bunch, etc. So use it as a method, and see what you create!

Basic Beef Stew
1 lb Beef (I used 2 Sirloin Steaks I had in the freezer)
Oil to sear beef (coconut, avocado, or butter would all work)
4 Carrots
3 Celery Stalks
Onion Powder
Salt
4 C Stock (I used chicken stock I had in the freezer)
4 Tbsp Arrowroot Powder
3 Tbsp COLD water

Cut beef into bite size pieces. Heat oil in pan. Toss beef liberally in onion powder and a little salt and sear in hot oil till beef is browned on all sides. Add stock to hot pan in order to de-glaze and scape all those bits of flavor up. Pour contents of pan into crock pot and turn to low. Peal and dice vegetables into bite size pieces and add to crock pot. Allow contents to cook for about 6 hours on low.

When you are ready to serve, whisk together arrowroot powder and cold water. Stir arrowroot mixture into hot stew. It will begin to thicken immediately. If you want a thicker consistency, you can add more arrowroot/water slurry until you achieve the desired thickness.

Serve!

Cinnamon Honey Plantain

I tossed these together for my husband today while the kids were napping. Verdict? Well, the plate was empty in less than 5 minutes and he was asking if there were more. Not an everyday, for me at least, but why not every now and then. There is honey, but to be honest, with my husband, he eats more than a Tbsp of honey straight out of the jar on a daily basis, and his body handles it well.
I tasted one of them and they honestly tasted like a piece of Monkey Bread... you know what I'm talking about, those bread dough balls dosed in butters, sugar and Cinnamon and all smashed together. Mmmm...

Cinnamon Honey Plantain
1 Plantain
1 Tbsp Honey
2 Tbsp Coconut Oil+ Enough to shallow fry plantain
1 Tbsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt

In a heavy bottom saute pan, heat coconut oil to medium-high heat. Slice Plantain into pieces.

 Fry pieces in heated coconut oil for 3-4 minutes per side, or until they are lightly browned.

While plantain are frying, mix remaining ingredients (honey, coconut oil, cinnamon, salt) in a medium bowl and heat in the microwave till they are melted and can easily combine.

 Toss fried plantain chips in heated sauce. 

Once evenly coated remove and serve.

 Yumm!

Beefy Sheppard's Pie

This dish turned out so so good!

Beefy Sheppard’s Pie

1 lb ground beef

3 carrots

2 medium zucchini

1 C Peas (if you do them. If not, sub in whatever veggies you like.)

2 C Beef (or chicken) stock

1 Head Cauliflower

4 Tbsp GF Butter

Onion powder

Salt

Pepper

3 Tbsp Arrowroot Powder

4 Tbsp cold water

Parsley Flakes

Cut down and steam cauliflower till very tender.  Add in 3 tbsp GF butter, salt and onion powder to taste, and mash with a potato masher or in the food processor.  Set aside to cool while you prepare the filling.

Brown ground beef in a large pan with onion powder (liberally ;)), salt and pepper to taste. (I did 2 lbs while I was at it, 1 for this and 1 to have for breakfasts this week.) While beef is browning, peel carrots. Dice carrots and zucchini into ½ inch pieces.

Once beef is cooked through remove from pan and set aside.  Add carrots and zucchini into pan with ¼ C of fat (I use avocado, but you could use coconut, olive, whatever you like). Allow zucchini to brown slightly before adding in beef stock. Place cover on pan and allow to cook about 5 minutes till carrots begin to soften. 

Mix together arrowroot powder and cold water in a small bowl, ensuring all the powder is dissolved.  Once carrots have softened, stir in arrowroot mixture and remove pan from heat.  Add in frozen peas and precooked beef and stir to combine. Pour prepared mixture into a medium casserole dish.  Take prepared cauliflower mixture and dollop on top and flatten onto filling. (I used the edge of the serving spoon to make impressions on cauliflower for presentation purposes.) Take remaining Tbsp of GF butter and break it up into small pieces to scatter over cauliflower mix. This will give you the crispy, golden brown crust on top.  Sprinkle parsley flakes on top.

Place pie into a preheated 350 oven for 30-40 minutes till it is heated through and bubbly.  I turned the broiler on low for 5 additional minutes to get a nice golden brown on the top. 

Enjoy!!

Couple notes from this dish:

1)Peas are one of those grey are type foods. We had some from our garden that we flash froze, and because I have not noticed any negative from them on our bodies, we are going to use them. I probably would not choose to buy them at this point in our Paleo-journey, but I am going to use up what I have.  You can substitute another veggie. This recipe is very versatile, and a great way to use up the last couple random items that remain in the crisper!

2)I mention quite a bit on my facebook how I prep for breakfasts while I make dinner. This was a perfect time to do this! Instead of just cooking 1lb of beef for this recipe, I did 2lbs. I cut up extra zucchini while I was chopping, and then mixed the two extras together. This will make a great omelet filling for breakfast this week. This is vital to my schedule because my husband has to leave the house at 4:20am to get to work on time!!

Coconut-Pecan Banana Bites

Though I do a whole lot of Paleo Baking, I don't actually eat the majority of what I make. I will sometimes taste a bite of one, or on a Sunday brunch I will have a helping of a treat, but in general I don't eat a lot.  I am really working towards reaching some goals before the end of the year, so I avoid baked goods, dairy, and added sweeteners. 
That being said, I am always looking for a low GI, no added sweetener treat to enjoy from time to time. This is one that I will be keeping in the freezer for those moments when I just need a little something, but I don't want to actually have a treat. I hope you all enjoy as much as I did!

Coconut-Pecan Banana Bites
2 Bananas
1/2 C Tropical Traditions Coconut Concentrate
1/2 C Pecans- chopped
1/2 C Shredded Coconut
1 tsp Cinnamon

Slice banana about 1/2 inch thick and place in the freezer for about 15 minutes. They don't need to be frozen through, just cold to the touch.

Melt the coconut concentrate in a small bowl.

Combine chopped pecans, shredded coconut and cinnamon in a shallow dish.

 Once bananas are out of the freezer, dip each slice into the coconut concentrate and directly into the coconut pecan mixture.

Turn bananas over to coat and place back onto the dish to return to the freezer.  Once all are coated, return to the freezer to allow them to set up.

 Enjoy!

Mexi-Pulled Beef

This is my go to 'feed-a-ton-o-people' recipe. I have made it for several buffet style dinners with all the fixings. We generally do this with romaine leave wrappers, homemade salsa and guacamole, tomatoes, olives and cheese (for those dairy folks). I have even given in a bought corn tortillas for those adamant about lettuce not being a taco shell.  ;)  Tonight we had it on an arugula salad with homemade salsa, guacamole, and plantain chips for crunch. Yumm!! Anyway, I have received several requests for the recipe, so I finally measured and here it is. Enjoy!

Mexi-Pulled Beef
2-3lb Beef Roast
Avocado Oil (enough to coat the bottom of pan)
2 Tbsp Chopped Dried Onions
3 Tbsp Onion Powder
3 Tbsp Chili Powder
1 Tbsp Garlic Powder
1 Tbsp Cumin
1 Tsp Salt
1/3 C White Vinegar

Mix all spices together in a small bowl.  Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan, or if your pressure cooker has a 'brown' option just do it in there, as I did. Add chopped dried onions into the oil as it heats. Rub prepared seasoning mix into beef and sear in the hot oil for about 5 minutes per side, or until a nice deep brown is reached. 

Once both sides are browned, pour in white vinegar and cook in the pressure cooker for an hour, or in a traditional crock-pot for about 6 hours on low. 

Shred with two forks enjoy on a salad, as a taco, or just plain. 

Eggplant Dippers

Eggplant Dippers
1 Large Eggplant
2 Eggs
1/4 C Coconut Milk
1 C Almond Flour
1/2 C Arrowroot Powder
2 Tbsp Onion Powder
1 Tbsp Italian Seasoning
1 Tsp Salt
Coconut Oil for shallow frying

Slice eggplant 1/4 inch slices. In 2 separate shallow dishes, combine egg and coconut milk in one and remaining ingredients (excluding eggplant and coconut oil) in another.

  In an assembly line fashion, dip eggplant slices in egg and then coat with flour mixture.

  Heat coconut oil to medium high and carefully fry slices 3-4 minutes per side or until golden brown.  Serve with prepared tomato sauce for dipping.

 Enjoy!

Carmel-Apple Muffins

These turned out awesome! The smell of them alone was intoxicating! I don't cook/bake with dairy often. Even though both kids, and Steven, eat dairy on occasion, it is generally in more raw, snack form, rather than the actual dish, like homemade yogurt or in homemade Ice Cream on occasion. I do not do dairy often at all, maybe twice a month or so, but I did try one of these with the frosting on them as a nice treat! The muffins without the frosting were incredible too, but I am trying to come up with Fall Party options that will appeal to more than just Paleo eaters, and still keep my kids/us/Paleo eating friends grain/gluten free. And to note, there is no dairy in the muffin itself, just the frosting.

I hope you all enjoy!

Carmel-Apple Muffins
Apple Mix:
4 Apples
1/4 C Maple Syrup
1/2 C Water
1 Tbsp Cinnamon

Batter Mix:
2 C Almond Flour
1/2 C Coconut Flour
1/4 C Arrowroot Powder
1 Tsp Baking Powder
1 Tbsp Cinnamon
4 Eggs
1/4 C Coconut Oil
1/4 C Maple Syrup

Frosting:
1 Block Cream Cheese
1/4 C Maple Syrup
1/2 tsp Maple Extract (make sure it is Carmel color free)
1/4 C Heavy Whipping Cream

Topping:
1/2 C Chopped Pecans

Peal, core and chop apples into bite size pieces.

Place all ingredients for the apple mix in a heavy bottom saucepan and turn on medium. Allow mixture to cook over medium for about15 minutes, till apples soften and sauce thickens.

 This will give you the nice Carmel flavor, without actually using a traditional Carmel. This should render about 2 cups of apple mixture.

Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, combine dry batter ingredients, and combine wet in a separate bowl. 

Stir wet into dry and combine.  Once apple are cooked and cooled slightly, pour apples into batter mix and stir to combine.  Scoop prepared batter into 20 lined muffin tins and place into preheated oven.

 Allow to bake 20-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out cleanly.  Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before frosting.

When ready to frost, combine frosting ingredients in a stand mixer and whip for about 5 minutes till all ingredients are combine and frosting becomes slightly fluffy from the whipping cream. Frost muffins and top with chopped pecans.

 I only frosted 1/2 of them, as I know a couple do not eat dairy.   I was taking mine to a brunch, so I placed Carmel-apple sticks in them for presentation purposes. 

Enjoy!