HARRISON STRENGTH & FITNESS - MEAL OF THE WEEK

Quick & Easy Sweet Potato Hash

10/13/2013

http://nomnompaleo.com/

Ingredients:

1 large garnet yam (I use the term yam and sweet potato interchangeably)
1 big pinch of kosher salt
Several turns of freshly ground black pepper
A few shakes of garlic powder
A couple of dashes of onion powder
A sprinkle of dried herbs (I used Penzeys Parisien Bonnes Herbes)
2 tablespoons fat of choice (I used lard)
Aleppo pepper (optional)
4 large eggs (2 per serving)
1 tablespoon butter
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Aleppo pepper (optional)

Instructions:

Peel and cut the yam lengthwise so the slices fit in the feeding tube of your food processor.
Attach the julienne slicer blade to the machine and shred the yams. (You can grate the yams by hand but the risk of maiming yourself goes up exponentially.)
Transfer the shredded yams to a large bowl and toss with salt, pepper, garlic and onion powders, and dried herbs.
You can definitely substitute fresh alliums and herbs if you’ve got them. Taste the mixture and adjust the seasoning.
Heat the fat in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the seasoned sweet potatoes/yams.
Toss everything in the fat and stir-fry for a minute. Then, pop on a lid for a few more minutes while the yams cook.
The hash is ready when there’s some crunchy brown bits and texture is soft and tender.
Melt a tablespoon of butter in a 8-inch cast iron skillet over medium-low heat. When the butter foams, crack two eggs into a bowl and pour ‘em gently into the hot pan.
Season the eggs with salt and pepper, and cover with a lid for 2-3 minutes, depending on how runny you like your yolks.
Once they’re done, carefully slide them out of the skillet and on top of a mound of hash. Repeat with the remaining eggs. Sprinkle some more Aleppo pepper on top.

Banana Vanilla Bean Pancakes with Mixed Berry Compote

10/6/2013

http://paleomg.com

Ingredients:

2 bananas, peeled
3 eggs
3 tablespoons coconut flour
1 vanilla bean pod
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon baking soda
sprinkle of cinnamon
pinch of salt
1 cup frozen mixed berries
1-2 tablespoons honey

Instructions:

Place banana in a food processor and puree until smooth.
Then crack eggs into food processor and mix together.
Now you’ll want to get the beans out of you vanilla bean pod. Use a sharp knife to cut the pod in halve, lengthwise. Then use the back of your knife to scrape out the inside of the pod, removing all the flecks.
Toss the flecks into the food processor along with coconut flour, vanilla extract, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
Puree until smooth.
Now heat up a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Once skillet is hot, pour around 2-3 tablespoons of the mixture into skillet. I made each pancake about 3 inches, and that was perfect for flipping.
Wait until each pancake begins to form bubbles on the surface, then flip. If you keep the pancakes smaller, the will cook more evenly and flip perfectly.
While the pancakes are cooking, let’s make the compote.
Place frozen berries in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Once the mixed berries begin to soften, add in honey and use a spatula to break up the berries even more.
Make all your pancakes and top with berry compote.

Paleo Carrot Cake

9/29/2013

http://www.wickedgoodkitchen.com

Ingredients:

For the cake -

1½ cups blanched almond flour
1¼ cups arrowroot starch
6 tablespoons organic coconut flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt (or ¾ teaspoon sea salt or regular table salt)
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon freshly ground whole nutmeg
½ teaspoon cloves
6 large eggs
1¼ cups organic light agave nectar
1 tablespoon unsulphured molasses
6 tablespoons coconut oil, melted (plus additional for greasing pans)
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
3 cups grated carrot (about 4 large carrots)
¾ cup organic unsweetened shredded coconut
½ cup coarse-fine chopped fresh pineapple

For the frosting -

1 cup cashew butter
¾ cup organic palm shortening
¼ cup coconut oil, melted
½ cup organic coconut butter, melted
½ cup organic raw honey

Instructions:

Arrange oven rack in center of oven and
Preheat oven to 325º F.
Grease 9x13 baking dish with melted coconut oil. Line bottom with wax paper, and grease the wax paper. (When baking delicate cakes, it is best to use wax paper as it is gentle when peeling away after baking versus parchment paper.)
In a large bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices; set aside.
Using an electric stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, or handheld mixer and large bowl, beat eggs until blended and bubbly.
Add agave nectar, molasses, melted ghee and vanilla; beat on medium speed for approximately 2 minutes. Mixture should be bubbly on top. Reduce speed to low (stir) and add flour mixture blending until well combined. Allow mixture to stand for a full 5 minutes.
With a rubber spatula, fold in carrots, coconut and pineapple. Scrape and pour batter into prepared pan, then smooth top evenly with rubber spatula.
Bake in center of preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 35 minutes.
Cool cakes in pan on wire rack for 5 minutes. Run thin metal spatula around edges of each cake to loosen, then invert onto wire rack (I like to grease my nonstick wire racks with coconut oil to prevent sticking) and carefully peel away wax paper. If necessary (since this cake batter is very sticky), use a paring knife to help loosen the paper around the edges before peeling. Turn right side up onto wire racks (using an additional rack to flip); cool completely.
Using the (cleaned) electric stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat cashew butter until smooth, then add shortening and melted coconut oil.
Beat on high speed until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of bowl as necessary with rubber spatula.
Add melted coconut butter and honey, continue to mix on low (stir) until incorporated; then increase mixer speed to high and beat until thickened, light and fluffy.
Place bowl in refrigerator and chill for at least an hour. I left mine in the fridge overnight, and in the morning had to wait until it was warm enough to stir again. Once it is, stir and check for spreading consistency.
Stir before frosting the cake. Put the cake back into the fridge until ready to serve. The frosting will melt slightly if it reaches room temperature.

Paleo Sweet Potato Bars

9/22/2013

http://paleotable.com

Ingredients:

Dry -

1 cup sifted coconut flour
1/4 cup flax meal (ground flax seeds)
2 Tbsp ground cinnamon
1 dash freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 cup refrigerated pitted dates, processed in a food processor until very finely chopped (optional)

Wet -

1 heaping cup (liquid measure) home-made sweet potato puree (approximately 3 medium sweet potatoes, halved, rubbed with coconut oil, then roasted at 450 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes) OR 1-15 oz can organic sweet potato puree
4 eggs
3/4 to 1 cup coconut oil, liquified
1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
1/2 cup full-fat coconut milk
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
Topping (Optional)
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine the dry ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk to combine.
Combine the wet ingredients in the bowl of a food processor. Process until light and airy.
If your food processor is big enough, pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and process until just combined. Otherwise, pour wet ingredients into a large mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients, and use a mixing spoon to thoroughly combine. The mixture will be thick. Fold the dates into the batter.
Spoon batter into a 9x13 baking dish or metal pan. Use the back of a rubber spatula or spoon to evenly spread the batter.
Bake for 30 minutes or until the top is lightly browned. (The toothpick test doesn't work well on these bars since the batter is so dense.) Carefully remove baking dish from oven.
If using chocolate, sprinkle chocolate evenly across the top. Return to oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes.
Remove from the oven and use a rubber spatula to spread chocolate in a very thin, even layer across the top.
Let cool for 15 minutes before cutting.

Paleo Freezer Fudge

9/15/2013

http://fastpaleo.com

Ingredients:

1/2 banana
1/2 avocado
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 tbsp honey (more to taste)
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
pinch salt

Instructions:

Mix all ingredients in food processor until combined.
Line a small container (plastic container, mini loaf pan or small baking dish if you double the recipe) with parchment or wax paper. This doesn’t make a lot so you need a small container for thick fudge. I used mini loaf pans.
Scoop mixture into container and top with chocolate chips, shredded coconut, or whatever else you’d like.
Place in freezer for 30-60 minutes or until firm.
Remove and cut into squares. Store in freezer.

Spicy Meatballs

9/8/2013

http://justpaleo.com

Ingredients:

For the meatballs -

1 pound ground beef
1 pound chorizo, removed from casing (check your labels!)
1/2 cup almond flour/meal
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 egg
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, finely chopped (again, seriously, check your labels - lots of funny things in canned goods. and look for glass jars instead of cans whenever you can.)
2 tbsp adobe sauce (from can of chipotle peppers in adobo)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

For the sauce -

2 tbsp coconut oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
dash dry mustard
4 tbsp water
dash cinnamon
pinch salt
pinch ground cloves
pinch ground allspice
dash cayenne pepper

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350º.
In a large bowl, mix together all the ingredients, except cooking fat. Shape heaping teaspoons of the mixture into 1-inch balls. Arrange meatballs on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until meatballs feel firm but not tough.
Heat oil in large sauce pan or pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions and saute until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Add the crushed red pepper and cook 1 minute. Stir in the remaining ingredients and reduce heat to low.
Add the browned meatballs to the Dutch oven and toss gently to coat with sauce.

Paleo Fried Chicken

9/1/2013

http://www.crunchymama.net

Ingredients:

1 cup (250 mL) coconut oil
2 large eggs
1 cup (150 g) almond flour
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. chipotle powder (optional)
2 pounds (900 g) chicken- thighs, drums, breasts

Instructions:

Heat oil in large frying pan to 350F (175C) and preheat oven to 400F (205C)
Whisk eggs in medium sized bowl
Combine all dry ingredients in large bol and mix well.
Dip chicken in whisked eggs.
Coat/cover chicken in dry mixture and place in hot oil. Allow both sides to brown (about 2 minutes each side).
Place drying rack on sheet pan and assemble check on the rack so ther is space between all pieces.
Put chicken in oven for 10-15 minutes. Remove and serve.

Paleo Gumbo and "Rice"

8/25/2013

http://paleomg.com

Ingredients

4 smoked andouille chicken sausages, sliced
1.5 cups raw, deveined shrimp
1 cup leftover easy shredded pork
6 cups broth (I used half vegetable, half chicken broth)
1 yellow onion, diced
1 cup celery, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
5 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons ground paprika
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper, to taste
fresh parsley, to garnish
3 tablespoons bacon fat (or other kind of fat)

For the rice -

1 head of cauliflower, stem and leaves removed, chopped in florets
½ cup vegetable broth
1 tablespoon bacon fat (or other kind of fat)
1 garlic clove, minced
salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

Place a large saucepan over medium heat. Add your bacon fat along with your 4 garlic cloves, onion, celery, and bell peppers. Cook until onions become translucent.
Then add all your spices.
Pour in your broth and bay leaves and let simmer for 10 minutes.
Next add your smoked sausage and shredded pork. Simmer for another 5 minutes.
Lastly, add your shrimp and salt and pepper and cook for another 5 minutes.
While your gumbo is cooking, make your rice.
Add cauliflower to a food processor with the shredding attachment to “rice” the cauliflower. No food processor? Use a cheese grater instead.
Now add a medium saucepan over medium heat and add your fat along with 1 garlic clove then the cauliflower.
Let cook for about 5 minutes, then add the broth and salt and pepper, and stir to combine.
The cauliflower will cook down for about 10-12 minutes while you are making your gumbo, so keep an eye on it so it does not burn. Like mine did.
Top cauliflower rice with gumbo and garnish with a bit of chopped parsley. Enjoy!

Paleo Cilantro Chicken Nuggets

8/18/2013

http://paleomg.com

Ingredients:

1lb ground chicken or ground turkey
1 egg, whisked
1 bundle of cilantro, chopped (the more, the better!)
3 scallions, chopped
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1/2 cup Coconut Flour
1/4 teaspoon ginger
salt and pepper, to taste
1-2 tablespoons Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil

For the sauce -

1/4 cup Coconut Aminos
1/8 cup white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon ground stone mustard (from the bottle/container-not powder)
1 teaspoon Raw Honey

Instructions:

Mix all of your nugget ingredients together: ground chicken, egg, cilantro, scallions, sesame oil, ginger, and salt and pepper.
Now heat up a large skillet under medium heat and add 1-2 tablespoons of coconut oil.
Place your coconut flour in a shallow bowl.
Make small balls from your nugget mixture, “nugget sized” and place each nugget in the coconut flour (being sure to only lightly dust the nuggets) then place in your skillet.
Use a spatula to slightly flatten out each nugget. It only needs just a little press down.
Cook on both sides for 5-7 minutes or until cooked through.
While your nuggets cook, mix your dipping sauce ingredients together.

Sausage & Spinach Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

8/11/2013

http://nomnompaleo.com

Ingredients:

5 medium Portobello mushrooms
Avocado oil (or your favorite fat)
1 pound uncooked sausage, removed from casing (I used bratwurst)
½ pound of frozen spinach, defrosted in the microwave and squeezed dry
½ small onion, minced
Sunny Paris seasoning
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon coconut flour
Kosher salt
Ghee (or your favorite fat)
Freshly ground pepper
1 ½ cup of marinara sauce, heated

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 400 F (with the rack in the center of the oven) and placed a foil-lined baking sheet onto the rack.
Gather the mushroom and prepared them per an old recipe in Cook’s Illustrated. Wipe the tops clean with a damp cloth and remove the stems and the gills. (The gills are easily scooped out with a spoon.) Pre-roast the mushrooms
Use a sharp paring knife to cut a shallow “X” on the top of each mushroom……brush avocado oil all over the mushrooms, and seasoned the tops and bottoms with salt and pepper.
Next, place the mushrooms on the preheated baking sheet in the oven, gill side up, and bake them for 10 minutes. Flip each mushroom and bake them gill side down for about 10 additional minutes. Remove the tray from the oven and let the mushrooms cool to room temperature.
Increase the oven temperature to broil.
While the mushrooms were baking, start making the stuffing.
Heat a couple tablespoons of ghee in a large skillet over medium heat and sautée the minced onion (with salt and pepper) until they were soft and translucent. Add the sausage and a few dashes of Sunny Paris seasoning and cooked the meat until it was no longer pink. Remove the meat mixture to a medium bowl and let it cool to room temperature.
Once the sausage is cool, add the egg, spinach, coconut flour, salt and pepper, and mix to combine.
Transfer the roasted mushrooms onto another baking sheet lined with foil (the original baking sheet still had lots of mushroom liquid on it) and pile the stuffing onto each cap — pressing down to make the stuffing more compact.
Place the tray under the broiler (center rack) for about 5 minutes, rotating halfway during the cooking time.
The stuffing should be evenly browned (but not burned) when the mushrooms are finished.
Top the stuffed mushrooms with marinara sauce and served them immediately!