dinner Archives - Page 3 of 10 - A Calculated Whisk

Vietnamese Beef Lettuce Wraps

March 27, 2017 By Becky 10 Comments

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

These quick Vietnamese beef lettuce wraps are my new go-to light dinner for spring. They’re gluten free, dairy free, paleo friendly, and easy to put together.

I am a huge fan of Vietnamese food. When Ben and I lived in Boston, our neighborhood had a lot of Vietnamese families and businesses. There was a great little supermarket within walking distance where I could pick up everything from fish sauce to rice paper wraps to long stalks of fresh lemongrass. One of our favorite restaurants, Pho Hoa, was just blocks away. I usually ordered the house special vermicelli plate. It had pretty much everything: grilled pork, shrimp on sugarcane, meatballs, grilled scallions, pickled carrots, chopped peanuts, and even a sliced spring roll all on top of vermicelli. It also came with rice paper wraps and a bowl of hot water so you could make your own fresh rolls.

These fast and easy Vietnamese lettuce wraps are loosely based on the flavors of that dish. Instead of vermicelli and rice paper wraps, we’re using fresh leaves of lettuce with a little jasmine rice inside to soak up the saucy beef. You could definitely use rice noodles or cauliflower rice instead if you prefer! The beef is quickly cooked with a little garlic and a sauce that combines tamari (or coconut aminos), fish sauce, honey, and sambal oelek. The result is an umami-packed flavor with just the right balance of sweet, salt, spice, and funk.

Paleo Swedish Meatballs

February 27, 2017 By Becky 47 Comments

These paleo Swedish meatballs are just as satisfying as the original but without any gluten or lactose. They’re perfect with zoodles, cauliflower rice, or mashed potatoes.

I’m very excited about today’s post because not only am I sharing one of my favorite recipes from my cookbook Paleo Planet, but I’m also teaming up with my friends at ButcherBox to get you some amazing grass-fed meat for free! If you sign up for your first box between now and this Friday, you can get two pounds of grass-fed ground beef for free plus $10 off your box.

If you’ve been reading my site for a while, you’ve probably heard me mention ButcherBox before–you can see all my posts featuring their meat right here. ButcherBox is a meat subscription service that sends boxes of the absolute best grass-fed beef, heritage pork, and organic chicken right to your door, conveniently frozen in individual portions for easy defrosting. I have loved every single recipe I’ve made with their meat!

It’s perfect if you have a hard time finding quality meat in your neighborhood supermarket or just don’t want to have to shop often. They also send you recipe cards with information about each cut and an idea of what to make with it. Each month’s box includes a variety of cuts, but always includes some of their grass-fed ground beef, which is a staple at my house. If I’ve convinced you that you need ButcherBox in your life, here’s the sign-up page.

In case you’re just here for the paleo Swedish meatballs, let’s talk about those! They’re great for comfort-food dinners as we make it through the last few weeks of winter. A blend of beef and pork makes the meatballs super tender, and a dash of nutmeg and allspice give them that distinctive Swedish meatball flavor.

The sauce is creamy thanks to cashews and a bit sweet thanks to no-sugar-added black currant jam. Instead of the traditional egg noodles, try these paleo Swedish meatballs over zucchini noodles, cauliflower rice, or mashed potatoes.

Crispy Honey Butter Salmon + How to Get Crispy Salmon Skin

February 13, 2017 By Becky 36 Comments

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

Crispy honey butter salmon is a snap to make in half an hour with just five ingredients, but its flavor and texture make it worthy of a special occasion.

For the first 25 years of my life, I avoided salmon. It seemed too fishy, and its pink color always made it look suspiciously raw.

Then I started writing Paleo Planet, and my editor gently informed me that I would need to have at least one, if not two or three, salmon recipes in the book. I got cooking, and before long I discovered that crispy salmon skin is the BEST THING EVER.

Since crispy-skinned salmon is so good all on its own, I’ve started letting it shine with this super simple crispy honey butter salmon recipe. Basically we’re searing the salmon to get the skin nice and crunchy, and then topping it with a little butter and honey. The honey and butter melt onto the fish and create a rich, slightly sweet sauce that tastes like so much more than just the sum of its parts.

Ben and I are moving this week and we’re exhausted (see our super cute new digs here!), so I’m going to keep this post short and sweet. Below you’ll find my five best tips for making sure your salmon skin is truly crispy. If you’re still looking for something special to cook for Valentine’s Day, why not give this crispy honey butter salmon a try? And by the way, it’s fabulous with Instant Pot mashed potatoes.

16 Whole30 Sheet Pan Dinners

January 20, 2017 By Becky 44 Comments

Who doesn’t love the idea of roasting up a whole nutritious meal on one sheet pan? These Whole30 sheet pan dinners will keep you well fed all month long while minimizing prep time and cleanup.

I know many of you are in the midst of a January Whole30, and you may be reaching that point during the month when dinner inspiration starts to be harder and harder to come by. I’m a little behind because I’m starting my Whole30 next week, but I’ve been spending a lot of time finding and developing easy paleo recipes to make this challenge a breeze for everyone.

Today I’m sharing this roundup of Whole30 sheet pan dinners. These meals are easy to make in the oven with just one sheet pan. It’s so satisfying (and beautiful!) to have an entire nutritious meal laid out on one big pan. If you haven’t jumped on the sheet pan dinner train yet, get excited. You’re going to love it!

In case you missed it, last week I shared a roundup of 40 Whole30 Instant Pot recipes. You might also like to check out my top 15 Whole30 recipes of 2015 and this roundup of 30 Whole30 recipes. And last but not least, my cookbook Paleo Planet has over 80 Whole30-compliant recipes (plus a chapter of treats for when your month is over!).

Do you have a favorite Whole30 sheet pan dinner that I missed? Let me know in the comments!

Whole30 Sheet Pan Seafood Recipes

Roasted Shrimp & Asparagus with Green Goddess Dressing from A Calculated Whisk

Shrimp & Sausage Gumbo (Instant Pot or Not)

January 16, 2017 By Becky 21 Comments

This paleo, Whole30-compliant shrimp and sausage gumbo is a flavor-packed meal that comes together in half an hour in the Instant Pot, and just a little longer on the stovetop.

Today’s recipe comes from my friend Megan‘s book, The Big 15 Paleo Cookbook. If you don’t have it, you need to get your hands on it as soon as possible. It’s full of simple but delicious paleo recipes made with straightforward ingredients. The book has 15 chapters, each focusing on recipes made with one of the “big 15” paleo ingredients (see the cover below to find out what they are!).

I chose to make the gumbo recipe from the shrimp chapter, and while I wondered how it would turn out since it’s made with just a handful of everyday ingredients, I was definitely not disappointed.

You don’t have to bother with a roux–this paleo shrimp and sausage gumbo gets its great flavor from vegetables, healthy cooking fat, and Creole seasoning, plus the shrimp and sausage themselves. Megan recommends using shell-on shrimp for better flavor. I was hesitant at first, but after trying it I really do think the gumbo has more flavor due to having the shrimp shells in while it cooks.

Using unpeeled shrimp also makes it harder to overcook them, which is often a problem with quick-cooking shrimp. It’s a little messy peeling the saucy shrimp, but it’s also kind of fun. I love a good hands-on eating experience! If you don’t, you can peel them beforehand or even buy pre-peeled shrimp.

Crispy Chicken Salad with Pineapple Pico de Gallo

January 5, 2017 By Becky 28 Comments

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

This crispy chicken salad with pineapple pico de gallo is full of fresh, vibrant ingredients to brighten up your winter. Plus, it’s paleo and Whole30 compliant!

Crispy chicken: I’m starting to worry I talk about it too much. The thing is, it just doesn’t get much better. And it definitely doesn’t get ANY better when we’re talking about a Whole30-compliant salad. This crispy chicken salad with pineapple pico is the stuff dreams are made of!

While my usual method for crisping up chicken is to use skin-on chicken thighs (see exhibits A, B, and C), this time I wanted crispy breaded chicken. I didn’t want to use bread, of course, and almond flour doesn’t quite produce the requisite level of crunch. I was planning to try crushed up plantain chips, but I couldn’t find any that were made with Whole30-friendly oil. It was in my search for plantain chips that I laid eyes on EPIC’s sea salt & pepper pork rinds.

The ingredients are Whole30-compliant, and I confirmed on the forums that if pork rinds are used in the context of a nutritious recipe and not just for mindless snacking, they’re fine. In this case, I eliminated any (convenient) snacking possibilities by smashing the rinds to smithereens while they were still in the bag.

Anyway, they make a wonderfully flavorful breading for crispy chicken, which then graces the top of this salad that’s already packed with just the right combination of sweet, spicy, crunchy, peppery, juicy, and creamy bites.

Sheet Pan Salmon and Delicata Squash

January 2, 2017 By Becky 6 Comments

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

Sheet Pan Salmon and Delicata Squash #30MinuteMondays #glutenfree #paleo #whole30

This easy sheet pan salmon and delicata squash takes just half an hour and one pan to make. It’s also paleo, dairy free, and Whole30 compliant!

Happy 2017! I hope your new year is off to a wonderful start. If you’re doing a January Whole30 or just trying to clean up your eating a bit this month, I have just the recipe for you. Sheet pan salmon and delicata squash is a super flavorful dinner that only requires four ingredients, half an hour, and one pan. I used homemade Creole seasoning on the squash and the fish, but store bought Creole seasoning or your favorite spice blend would also work.

This recipe is part of my 30 Minute Mondays series, which has been on hold for a while now. However, this month I’m back to sharing quick and easy recipes for you each Monday, and am going to keep them all Whole30-compliant for January.

Sheet Pan Salmon and Delicata Squash #30MinuteMondays #glutenfree #paleo #whole30

Since we’re roasting and then broiling for this recipe, I recommend using a high-heat cooking oil like duck fat, ghee, or avocado oil. I buy Epic duck fat and La Tourangelle avocado oil from Thrive Market and make my own ghee. Both duck fat and ghee impart extra rich flavor to the dish, while avocado oil is more neutral. The higher smoke points of all three of those fats make them ideal for roasting and searing, whereas other fats like olive oil are best used raw or in low-heat cooking.

Pressure Cooker Ropa Vieja (Slow Cooker, too!)

December 12, 2016 By Becky 91 Comments

Pressure cooker ropa vieja is a time-saving Instant Pot version of the traditional Cuban beef dish, and is naturally gluten and dairy free. There’s also a slow cooker version! This post is sponsored by Pomí.

Have you tried ropa vieja? Don’t worry about the fact that the name is Spanish for “old clothes”–this is supremely delicious comfort food, with nothing old or ragged about it. To make this pressure cooker ropa vieja, beef is quickly seared, then cooked until tender in an addictive sauce made with Pomí tomatoes, bell peppers, onion, garlic, smoked paprika, and other spices.

Next, capers, raisins, and pimiento peppers are added for pops of color, sweetness, and tart, briny flavor. The result is a dish so soothing and satisfying that Ben and I aren’t even close to being tired of it, despite having eaten three giant batches over the past two weeks.

No pressure cooker? Don’t fret (but I do highly recommend the Instant Pot*<–this and all others marked with * are affiliate links and I earn from qualifying purchases). This ropa vieja is just as delicious made in a slow cooker*. I was surprised to find the two versions indistinguishable in taste and texture, so it’s really just a question of how much time you have and which appliance you want to use.

I used Pomí Organic Strained Tomatoes* for this recipe. They’re similar to crushed tomatoes and provide all the great umami-packed flavor of fresh tomatoes grown in the Italian sunshine. (By the way, I also tested this recipe with Pomí’s chopped tomatoes and they worked great, too!) I love that they’re organic and non-GMO certified.

Pomegranate Roasted Jerk Chicken

December 7, 2016 By Becky 29 Comments

This paleo pomegranate roasted jerk chicken is ideal for those who want a festive holiday main with a bit of a kick. Served with baby potatoes, it’s a complete, one-pot meal. This post is sponsored by Frontier Co-op.

I especially enjoy spicy foods in the winter–I’ll take all the warmth I can get when it’s cold outside. This pomegranate roast chicken is perfect for warming up both your kitchen as it roasts and you when you eat it. If you’re spice-averse, though, don’t worry. You can customize the heat level by adding fewer habanero peppers.

The peppers aren’t the only thing bringing heat to this chicken. Spices like cinnamon, allspice, and smoked paprika also have a warming effect. Peppers and spices are combined with a hint of tart sweetness from pomegranate juice, grassy freshness from the scallions, and the savory fragrance of fresh thyme. All of those flavors come together to create a perfect Jamaican jerk paste that’s equally delicious on chicken and potatoes. Roasting the chicken at high heat for the first few minutes and then reducing the heat for the remainder of the cooking time ensures crispy skin and juicy meat.

I created this recipe in partnership with Frontier Co-op, my favorite source for spices and seasonings. Frontier is encouraging everyone to #CookWithPurpose this holiday season and all year long. I care a lot about where my food comes from and how it’s grown, which is why I get most of my produce and meat from local farms that use sustainable practices. It’s important to me to think just as carefully about where our ingredients come from as we do about which delicious dishes to cook up for our families. With spices, though, it can be trickier to know what goes on to get these essential flavorings from farm to table. It’s impossible for me to source things like cinnamon and allspice locally, so I love being able to turn to Frontier Co-op to be assured that I’m getting spices that were grown sustainably and sourced with fair trade practices.

One-Pot Turmeric Chicken and Rice

November 28, 2016 By Becky 12 Comments

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

This easy one-pot turmeric chicken and rice is pure winter comfort food, with warming Indian spices and plenty of vegetables.

I work with kids as a speech therapist during the day, and I remember a while back I asked one of my kids what his favorite food was and he said, “chicken and rice”. I remember thinking, “Really? What’s so special about chicken and rice?”

Well, I am here to literally eat my words. Chicken and rice cooked together, especially with turmeric and other warming spices, a generous splash of wine, and some pops of colorful veggies, definitely qualifies as favorite-food material. Plus this dish is made with bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, which are my absolute favorite cut of chicken. And you only have to use one pan! There is basically nothing not to love about this dish.

One-pot turmeric chicken and rice is going to be on my dinner menu pretty much every week for the rest of the cold months. Turmeric is a vibrant superfood that gives great color and flavor to the chicken and the rice. It goes perfectly with a bit of smoked paprika, coriander, cumin, and just the tiniest touch of cinnamon. If you like Indian food, you’ll notice this dish tastes a lot like biryani. I added onion, garlic, ginger, tomatoes, and carrots with the rice for vegetal goodness, and raisins, peas, scallions, and cilantro for extra pops of flavor and freshness toward the end of cooking.

Deep Dish Paleo Tamale Pie

October 31, 2016 By Becky 4 Comments

This paleo tamale pie combines a beef chili base made with peppers, tomatoes, and squash with a fluffy, grain-free “cornbread” topping.

Have you heard of tamale pie? It’s a casserole that’s loosely based on the ingredients for tamales, except they’re layered in a dish or skillet instead of wrapped in corn husks. Think a really delicious beef chili with a layer of cornbread baked right on top.

I didn’t grow up eating tamale pie, but apparently a lot of people did–a Bon Appétit article caught my eye recently with the headline: “Cornbread Tamale Pie Is the Greatest Recipe of All Time.” The author made a great case for why this dish is one of the best foods ever, and I was left with a distinct hankering to create a paleo tamale pie of my own.

For the filling, I packed in as much delicious produce as humanly possible: diced scallions, garlic, tomatoes, bell peppers, butternut squash, and cilantro. No, butternut squash is not a traditional ingredient in tamale pie, but I had half of one in the fridge just begging to be thrown in. I ended up loving the subtle sweetness the squash added. Conventional tamale pies often have corn kernels in the filling, so the butternut makes up for that by lending sweet pops of flavor without the addition of grains.

When you make this, you may find yourself tempted, like I was, to just eat the chili base on its own and to forget about the faux cornbread topping. I actually spooned myself out a little bowl of filling to eat while the tamale pie baked, and I suggest you do the same: I don’t want you to miss out on the fluffy topping, but the chili is great in its own right, so why not sneak in a little mid-cookup snack?

Five-Ingredient Instant Pot Carnitas

October 5, 2016 By Becky 22 Comments

These easy five-ingredient Instant Pot carnitas are tender and juicy, with a great citrusy flavor. They are wonderful over rice, in tacos, in lettuce wraps, with an egg on top, or just plain!

These slow-cooker carnitas lettuce wraps are one of my favorite dinners, and ever since getting an Instant Pot, I’ve been working on converting the carnitas recipe so it can be made more quickly. It’s not necessarily weeknight quick because it takes about an hour and a half to make, but that’s a lot less than the 8-10 hour slow-cooking time. This is perfect for whipping up on a weekend afternoon to have a stockpile of delicious meat for the days ahead.

To make this recipe extra easy, I’ve streamlined the ingredients list. You only need five things (not counting salt, pepper, and water). Also, this recipe is made start to finish in the Instant Pot, without any broiling at the end or any other dirty pans.

Carnitas are traditionally made on the stovetop like this, where they cook low and slow, often with spices and citrus juices. Eventually, all of the juices cook off, and the carnitas begin to caramelize and crisp up a little in the dry pan.

When I make carnitas in my crockpot, I have to discard most of the juices and broil the carnitas after slow cooking to crisp them up and get that characteristic carnitas texture. With the Instant Pot’s sauté feature, though, I can cook off all of the liquid pretty quickly without using more than one pot. That means Instant Pot carnitas are just as easy as the original stovetop version, but much quicker.