grain free Archives - Page 12 of 16

Roasted Romanesco with Za’atar Yogurt Sauce

February 26, 2015 By Becky 6 Comments

Strange coincidence: last year, on January 25th, 2014, I wrote about romanesco in a post entitled 7 Uncommon Vegetables for your Produce Bucket List. I had never seen romanesco in a store. I kept my eyes peeled for it all year, but could never find any. That is, until last Wednesday, when I finally spotted some at my local Whole Foods . . . on January 25th, 2015. Weird, right?

Coming across this gorgeous vegetable exactly one year after posting about it has me wondering if it might be magic. I mean, look at those spirals! According to Wikipedia, the number of spirals on a head of Romanesco is a Fibonacci number, and its form approximates a fractal. How is it possible that something like this exists?

In addition to its special properties, romanesco is delicious. I roasted it whole because I couldn’t bear to slice it up any sooner than I had to. Its flavor is similar to cauliflower and broccoli, but a little milder and nuttier. And, just like with cauliflower or broccoli, the browned bits are extra delicious. If you can’t find romanesco, you could definitely use one of its brassica cousins for this recipe instead.

Vietnamese Caramelized Pork Meatball “Vermicelli” Bowls

February 23, 2015 By Becky 40 Comments

These caramelized pork meatball “vermicelli” bowls are made with paleo-friendly caramel and spaghetti squash instead of noodles.

My favorite thing to order at our local Vietnamese restaurant is bún chả, a bowl of vermicelli topped with pickled vegetables, peanuts, and grilled sliced pork or pork meatballs, served with a generous bowl of nước chấm (sweet fish sauce) on the side. This caramelized pork meatball “vermicelli” bowl is a paleo version that hits all the right notes without refined sugar, legumes, or actual vermicelli–the noodles are spaghetti squash instead!

I’m not always a fan of swapping spaghetti squash for regular noodles, but it really works in this dish. There are so many flavors and textures intermingling that the squash flies almost completely under the radar.

The star of this bowl is the caramelized pork meatballs, which are by far the best meatballs I’ve ever made. Last time I attempted Vietnamese pork it was delicious, but nowhere near as good as what I’ve had in restaurants. I wasn’t sure how to get that unique flavor–the one that’s at once almost too sweet and almost too savory, but actually just perfect. Then, while doing a little online research, I came across this recipe from Saveur, which involved a very surprising step.

I never would have tried the technique advised in the recipe if it hadn’t come from such a trusted source, because it sounds totally ridiculous. Luckily enough for me and you, though, I did try it, and it was just the ticket. Buckle your seat belts, folks, because we are going to MAKE CARAMEL and put it in the meatballs.

Yup.

THAT is what I mean by “caramelized”.

Mexican Almond Pulp Brownies

February 20, 2015 By Becky 12 Comments

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Mexican Almond Pulp Brownies | acalculatedwhisk.com

These grain-free, paleo-friendly Mexican almond pulp brownies are a delicious way to use up almond pulp and satisfy chocolate cravings at the same time.

Have you tried making your own almond milk? It’s really good, and nothing like the store-bought kind. I like to put it in my coffee, add it to smoothies, or just drink it plain, alongside a delicious paleo baked good. (If you’re not a fan of almonds, you can follow the same steps to make milk using pecans instead! If I had to choose my favorite between almond milk and pecan milk, I would have a hard time).

So, if you have made your own nut milk, then you know about the pulp problem. After squeezing the last vestiges of creamy milk out of the cheesecloth or nut milk bag, you’re left with a bunch of pulp.

It’s sad to just throw it away. Especially when you could use it to make brownies instead!

These Mexican almond pulp brownies are adapted from a brilliant recipe by Alanna of The Bojon Gourmet. (Alanna takes some of the most gorgeous food photos out there, so if you haven’t visited her site, be prepared to want to make every single thing.) My version gets its unique flavor from a teaspoon of cinnamon and a dash of cayenne pepper. The result is like a Mexican hot chocolate in brownie form.

Carrot Cake Pancakes with Maple Whipped Cream Cheese

February 18, 2015 By Becky 6 Comments

When I was a kid, my parents once let me put frosting on pancakes. I think it was a special occasion, with frosting left over from someone’s birthday cake, and it was definitely a one-time thing. But after that breakfast, I was ruined. Nothing else could ever compare.

In case you haven’t had the pleasure, let me just tell you right now: pancakes with frosting are the epitome of the good life, the breakfast of hedonists, the ultimate “treat yo’self” meal (Parks & Rec style).

Spicy Shrimp and Kale with Creamy Rutabaga

February 16, 2015 By Becky 26 Comments

This is my paleo answer to the inexplicable cravings I’ve been having for shrimp and grits.

Who knows why? I’ve only had shrimp and grits a few times in my life, but lately they’ve been totally stuck in my head. Perhaps it’s because this coming Tuesday is Mardi Gras, and I wish I could just pick up and drive down to NOLA. When I lived in Houston New Orleans was only a five-hour drive away, and now it feels far enough to be in another world.

The good news is that this dish is just as delicious as shrimp and grits, if not more so, and instead of grits we have vegetables. Rutabagas for the win!

Also, I snuck some kale in there. This is hardcore health food.

It’s also hardcore comfort food. If there are 80 inches of snow on the ground in your city, or even if there aren’t (lucky you–do you happen to have a guest room??), this is just the thing to warm you up on a winter night. The creamy rutabaga forms a bed for plump shrimp bathed in an herby marinade and kale leaves that are crispy around the edges.

Breakfast Potatoes

February 9, 2015 By Becky 6 Comments

I love breakfast potatoes (or home fries, cottage fries, or whatever you prefer to call them), but they take a while to make. It’s a rare morning when I wake up with enough time and patience to chop potatoes and wait for them to cook, in the oven or on the stovetop.

That’s why I was so excited to read about this brilliant shortcut on Blue Kitchen: microwaving the potatoes for a few minutes with a little water gives them a head start, and they then finish cooking quickly in a skillet over medium-high heat. The best part is that this technique is more than just a shortcut: the potatoes turn out BETTER than potatoes cooked only in the oven or skillet–perfectly browned and crisp on the outside, and tender but not dry on the inside.

Salted Chocolate Chip Hazelnut Cookies

February 3, 2015 By Becky 16 Comments

I’ve had four snow days in the past two weeks. Luckily, I’ve spent my extra time off pursuing an admirable goal: baking the ultimate grain-free chocolate chip cookie.

My quest began when I saw these soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies on Alexandra’s Kitchen. Alexandra’s blog is one of my favorites. Everything she makes is mouthwatering, and I love her detailed tips and stunning, perfectly lit photographs. Basically, I’m a huge fan.

I had to have those cookies.

With a caveat, of course: I wanted them to be paleo-friendly and grain-free.

I’ve made paleo cookies before and thoroughly enjoyed them, but they weren’t the kind of cookies that could blow regular, gluten-containing cookies out of the water. They didn’t have the holy grail: the perfect combination of crunch and chewiness.

I set out to find some grain-free cookies that fit the bill–cookies that were crisp around the edges, but chewy and a tiny bit underbaked in the center.

Tahini-Glazed Chicken Wings

January 30, 2015 By Becky 12 Comments

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Tahini-Glazed Chicken Wings (Gluten free, Paleo) | acalculatedwhisk.com

These twice-baked tahini-glazed chicken wings are my favorite paleo appetizer. They’re crispy and juicy, and the glaze has a perfect mix of sweet and savory flavors.

My only appreciation for winter comes from the fact that it’s pretty much a prerequisite for spring, at least in this part of the world. And, in my optimistic opinion, we’re on the road to spring beginning on December 22nd, when we start getting an additional minute or two of light each day. Spotting a vestige of light in the sky after 5 pm gives me hope.

Even when a blizzard comes through, dumping two feet of snow on my city and leaving my street virtually impassable for days afterward, I know that we are on the up and up, the unstoppable vector leading to spring.

In the meantime, let’s eat some chicken wings! Read More…

Cinnamon Hazelnut Date Cake

January 26, 2015 By Becky 30 Comments

The humble date is much more delicious and versatile than one might guess based on its appearance. Dates are appealingly sticky and sweet, and their complex flavor makes you think a few aromatic spices like cinnamon and allspice may already be inside the fruit.

For this month’s Secret Recipe Club, I had the pleasure of perusing Ros’ blog, The more than occasional baker. As someone who also tends to fire up the oven more than occasionally, I was excited to see all the fabulous baked goods on her site. From classics like chocolate peanut butter squares to innovative treats like parsnip cake, her blog has it all.

As soon as I spotted this cinnamon date cake, though, my mind was made up. A beautiful Bundt cake sweetened with dates and flavored with cinnamon sounded like just the thing for a snowy January weekend, and it was!

For this recipe, you pit a bunch of dates and soak them in very hot water. (The pitted dates look just like hearts, so I had to stop and take a few photos. Looks like I’m in a valentine’s mindset already!) The soaked dates and then blended into a paste in the food processor so they can permeate the batter with moisture and flavor.

Pesto Frittata

January 12, 2015 By Becky 10 Comments

I’m finished with the first week of my Whole30, and feeling pretty great. You can see almost every delicious thing I’ve eaten over on Instagram–I’ve been having so much fun trying out new recipes and revisiting old favorites. Doing a challenge like this really gets the creativity flowing!

So far I’m breezing through each day without craving any off-plan foods–I even survived a friend’s birthday party last night without any serious yearnings for the cake, cookies, booze, or tortilla chips that everyone else was enjoying. I sipped on seltzer with lime, snacked on mixed nuts, and felt pretty darn virtuous.

Top 14 Paleo Recipes of 2014

January 1, 2015 By Becky 10 Comments

Happy New Year! I hope you enjoy a 2015 full of love, happiness, and real food. I’m starting a Whole30 tomorrow and gearing up to share a lot of squeaky clean recipes this month, but for today, I’m sharing a roundup of my most popular paleo recipes from 2014. In case you’re already in Whole30 mode, I’ve marked the recipes that are compliant with the program.

Here’s to another year of cooking delicious and healthy food together!

Chewy Molasses Cookies

December 25, 2014 By Becky 5 Comments

Is it too late for a Christmas cookie?

If it is, I understand. I hope you’ll consider this as you’re choosing a Boxing Day, New Year’s Eve, or random January afternoon cookie. Chewy grain-free molasses cookies work anytime.

Normally I don’t love cookies unless there’s chocolate or caramel involved, but I’ve made an exception here. There’s something about the rich flavor of molasses in a chewy cookie with a hint of crunch from a coating of sparkling sugar that I can really get into.