Day 16: Tangy Chicken

Chicken is not a protein that I generally get excited for. I'd much rather sit down to a dinner of grassfed beef or wild caught fish, but in the interest of eating somewhat economical, we mix chicken into the rotation every now and then. With that said, I'm constantly looking for new ways to prepare chicken and infuse flavor. This recipe is a winner - the chicken tastes like it was barbequed (minus the sauce). Yum!

Ingredients:

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken

1/2 Cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 Cup olive oil

1 Tbsp raw honey, melted (omit for a purely paleo recipe)

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 bay leaves

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

Directions:

Mix vinegar, olive oil, honey, garlic, bay leaves, cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper in a large ziploc bag. Add chicken and marinate for approximately 4 hours or overnight. Remove chicken from the marinade and grill over medium high heat for approximately 5 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Enjoy!

Day 13: Honey Jalapeno Pork Chops

Zack and I had an amazing meal at Cafe 28 on Saturday night (honey jalapeno pork chops served with sweet potatoes). We attempted to recreate it tonight despite the fact that honey is not paleo. After some debate, we both conceded that the dish needed the sweetness from the honey. To make ourselves feel a little better, we used organic, raw honey and didn't put it on direct heat (in order to preserve as many nutrients as possible). Overall, I'd say our version was pretty successful - yum!

Pork Chops
Ingredients:
2 pork chops
1 cup chicken broth
1 jalapeno, minced
1/4 red bell pepper, minced
1 1/2 Tbsps raw honey
salt and pepper

Directions:
Heat chicken broth and peppers over medium heat until chicken broth is reduced. Remove from heat and slowly stir in honey. Set aside.

Meanwhile, season pork chops with salt and pepper. Grill for approximately 5 minutes on each side, or until the internal temperature is about 155 degrees. Allow to rest. Spoon the jalapeno and honey mixture over the pork chops before serving.

Sweet Potatoes:
Ingredients:
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
Pinch of tumeric
Black pepper

Directions:
Boil sweet potatoes for approximately 20 minutes (until fork tender). Drain and mash with seasonings.

Day 12: Paleo Chili

Football season is finally here, so Zack and I made our version of paleo chili today. Don't let the large amount of ingredients scare you - once you get everything mixed together, you can forget about the chili for a few hours and focus on your fantasy team. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 lbs grassfed ground beef - browned and drained

2 sweet peppers, chopped

1 1/2 medium onions, chopped

4 jalapenos, chopped

6 cloves of garlic, minced

2 28oz cans of diced tomatoes

1 small can of green chilies

4 Tbsps chili powder

2 Tbsps cumin

1 Tbsp paprika

1 Tbsp sea salt

1 tsp dried oregano

1 pinch of cinnamon

1 pinch of tumeric

1 bay leaf

Directions:

Add all ingredients to a large slow cooker. Cook on low for 4-6 hours. Adjust seasonings as necessary. Serve with fresh chives and avocado (optional).

Day 8: Burger Showdown

Zack and I had a paleo burger showdown. I will admit that Zack's probably wins based on looks, but mine was super flavorful. Bottomline: as lame as it sounds, we couldn't decide on a winner. Tie.

My Burger - Green Chili Burger (shown on left)
Ingredients:
2 (4 oz.) cans diced green chiles
1 pound ground grassfed beef
½ Tbsp dried cilantro, (the original recipe calls for fresh cilantro, and I recommend using that if you have it on hand. Make sure to increase the amount.)
½ cup onion, finely chopped
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon grey sea salt

Directions:
In a medium sized bowl mix diced chiles with beef, cilantro, onion, cumin, chili powder and salt
Form into burgers and grill
Serve with guacamole or avocado slices

Zack's Burger - Garden Pepper Burger (shown on right)
Ingredients:
1 lb grassfed beef
2 cayenne peppers, chopped
1/2 cup onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp fresh oregano, chopped
1 Tbsp fresh chives, chopped
1 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 pinch of salt

Directions:
In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients
Form into burgers and grill
Serve with avocado, bacon, tomato (all optional)

Day 3: Pulled Pork

Meat slow-cooked in giardiniera is a popular dish in my hometown. Zack and I used a pork shoulder, but you could also use a beef roast or even chicken.

Ingredients:

Pork shoulder (about 3 lbs)

1 pint of giardiniera (See recipe from yesterday's post. Also okay to use store-bought giardiniera, but most tend to be vegetable oil based, which means they're higher in Omega 6)

Directions:

Place pork shoulder in slow cooker and top with giardiniera. Cook on low for approximately 7-8 hours. Trim fat and shred. Enjoy!

You'll have a substantial amount of leftovers. The photo above is from breakfast the following morning. I topped the leftover pork with two poached eggs - delicious!

Day 2: Giardiniera Recipe

Zack recently tried his hand at homemade giardiniera, and the results were fantastic. This tastes so much fresher and crisper than store bought giardiniera - and it's super easy!

Ingredients

4 red cayenne peppers, diced

8 fresh jalapeno peppers, sliced

1 medium carrot, diced

1 small onion, chopped

1/2 cup fresh cauliflower florets

1/2 cup saltwater to cover

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup white vinegar

1 cup olive oil

Directions

Place into a bowl the cayenne peppers, jalapenos, carrots, onion, and cauliflower. Stir in salt, and fill with enough cold water to cover. Place plastic wrap or aluminum foil over the bowl, and refrigerate overnight. The next day, drain salty water, and rinse vegetables.

In a bowl, mix together garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes and black pepper. Pour in vinegar and olive oil, and mix well. Combine with vegetable mixture, cover, and refrigerate for 2 days before using.

Mini Paleo Challenge: Day 1

Zack and I are doing a mini-paleo challenge during the month of September. I'm going to try to keep the blog updated with what we're eating and the corresponding recipes. Thankfully, we chose a short month!

The photo above is for Chicken Paprikash. I adapted this recipe from one that I found on the Cosmopolitan Primal Girl website, and it was a big hit!

Ingredients:
4 boneless skinless chicken thighs – cut into 1/2 inch strips
1 medium yellow onion – sliced
2 red cayenne peppers – chopped
1 large garlic clove - chopped
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 tsp paprika
1 tsp chili powder
4 Tbsp coconut milk
1 Tbsp coconut flour
1 Cup chicken broth1 Tbsp fresh basil

Directions:
Heat 1/2 of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook for about 5 minutes until there is no more pink. Then remove and set aside.

In the same skillet, add the rest of the olive oil. Add onions, garlic, paprika and chili powder. Cook for about 3-5 minutes until onions have softened.

Add coconut flour and broth. Stir it around and bring it to a simmer. Add the cayenne pepper. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the peppers are softened. About 5 min.

Add back the chicken and coconut milk. Continue to cook and stir until chicken is fully cooked and sauce is creamy. About 2 minutes.

Top with fresh basil and serve