paleo Archives - Page 11 of 22 - A Calculated Whisk

Crispy Chicken with Fig and Shallot Compote

June 19, 2015 By Becky 22 Comments

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Crispy Chicken with Fig and Shallot Compote | acalculatedwhisk.com A simple but gourmet paleo dinner, perfect for a Whole30 or anytime. @beckywink

So, there may or may not be a poem at the end of this post, entitled “Ode to Figs” and written in the style of Pablo Neruda. (Have you read his poem “Ode to the Artichoke”? I’m not very into poetry but I’m very into artichokes–it’s one of the few poems I truly appreciate. Here it is in Spanish and English.) Figs are special, so I’m sharing a special but easy recipe that showcases them in all their glory. Plus, my ridiculous poem.

I got so excited when I discovered fresh figs at the market earlier this week. It seems that figs have a short season in early summer and a longer season in the fall, so if you can’t find them now, hopefully you’ll bookmark this post for later.

30 Easy Paleo Dinners (in 30 minutes or less!)

June 13, 2015 By Becky 14 Comments

Hungry but short on time? Here are 30 easy paleo dinners that can be made in 30 minutes or less!

Anyone meal planning this weekend? I have 30 quick, flavorful, and easy paleo dinners for you to consider. Seafood, chicken, turkey, beef, and even breakfast for dinner–there’s a little bit of everything here!

This summer is a busy one for me. In addition to finishing up the last few classes for my master’s program, I’m working long days at a hospital for my final clinical externship. The last thing I want to do when I get home is spend a lot of time getting dinner ready (or worse, end up ruining my Whole30 by succumbing to the temptations of takeout). I scoured the web for tasty paleo recipes that can be made, start to finish, in 30 minutes or less, and asked some of my blogger friends to share their favorite recipes as well. Almost all of these recipes are Whole30 compliant as written, but for the ones that aren’t, I’ve noted an easy substitution for you.

Do you have a go-to quick dinner? I’d love to hear about it. Let me know in the comments!

Slow-Cooked Bolognese Sauce with Sweet Potato Spaghetti

June 10, 2015 By Becky 17 Comments

There’s nothing more comforting than a slow-cooked Bolognese sauce with sweet potato spaghetti! It’s gluten free, paleo, and much more colorful and nutritious than regular spaghetti and meatballs.

This is Whole30 comfort food at its best. Making Bolognese sauce every Friday is a new tradition of mine, and even though I’ve only been doing it for a few weeks, it’s already made my weekends much heartier and more delicious.

I have Fridays off this semester so I can stay home while this fragrant sauce simmers away, but if you have to work you could start the sauce in the morning before you leave and finish it in the slow cooker, or make it your Saturday or Sunday tradition instead.

You want to let this sauce cook for a nice long time because the flavors will continue to meld and develop over the course of several hours. The long cooking time is the reason bolognese sauce is so synergistic. I also think the sauce tastes even better when I reheat it a day or two later, but I can never resist eating at least some of it the day I make it. The aroma is so enticing!

Because everyone’s schedule is different, I’m providing a slow cooker version and a version that cooks completely on the stovetop. Other than the cooking time, which is much longer for the slow cooker version, the only difference is the amount of liquid you add. The stovetop version needs extra liquid since much of the water in the sauce will evaporate, but the slow cooker keeps all that moisture locked in.

Chorizo Chicken with Olives and Roasted Peppers + Yellow Rice

May 25, 2015 By Becky 36 Comments

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Chorizo Chicken with Olives and Roasted Peppers + Yellow Rice | acalculatedwhisk.com A simple and flavorful paleo dinner!

Most people love simple recipes. I’m actually the opposite–I want the things I cook to be a little bit of a process. Nothing insane, but a few different components. I love the act of cooking, and I usually don’t want it to be over too quickly.

This chorizo chicken is the best of both worlds. If you want it to be super simple and quick, you can buy a jar of roasted red peppers or even leave them out. You can also serve this with a tossed salad instead of the rice. If you’re looking to have a little fun, though, you can roast your peppers on an open flame.

This genius recipe comes from Karen of Lavender and Lovage. I was assigned Karen’s blog for this month’s Secret Recipe Club reveal day, and had so much fun perusing her recipes. She lives in England but also spends a lot of time in France, where she has a cooking school. Karen has a huge selection of recipes on her blog, including several tempting choices like Scottish rhubarb and ginger crunchy streusel cake and bacon-wrapped turkey breast, which I want to make when the holidays roll around.

Parrilla Mixta Italiana

May 19, 2015 By Becky 8 Comments

This Italian summer grilling post is sponsored by Colavita.

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To me, a mixed grill is the epitome of summer eating. When I spent a semester in Buenos Aires during college, I loved to go out with friends and order a parrilla mixta, which usually consisted of grilled steak, chicken, chorizo, and often organ meats as well, with a big bowl of herby chimichurri sauce and an even bigger bowl of french fries on the side. Add a bottle of wine and you have yourself one happy evening!

I don’t know why it took me so long to recreate a parrilla mixta at home, but when Colavita asked me to write a post on the theme of Italian summer grilling, this was the first thing that came to mind.

Here I’ve given the Argentine parrilla an Italian twist, marinating the steak and chicken with Italian seasonings and adding capers to the chimichurri. Argentine cuisine is heavily influenced by the food of Italy to begin with–even the Spanish spoken in Buenos Aires sounds uniquely reminiscent of Italian–so Colavita’s oils and vinegars work really well with all the components of this South American meal.

Watermelon Raspberry Agua Fresca

May 14, 2015 By Becky 12 Comments

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Watermelon Raspberry Agua Fresca | acalculatedwhisk.com

I “graduated” from my master’s program on Monday. We all walked across the stage, shook the provost’s hand, and got our picture taken with a little rolled up “diploma” that, when opened, basically congratulated us on having ALMOST finished our degrees. Even though the speech-language pathology program goes through August, my school only has one graduation ceremony a year, which means we all walk before taking our comprehensive exams and before our final semester has even begun.

Although it was, as my classmates are calling it, a “frauduation”, I deemed it cause for an actual celebration.

And what better way to celebrate than with a refreshing drink?

This agua fresca is so easy to make, but its unique color and flavor make it feel special. Agua fresca is often made with just watermelon, but I added raspberries here, too, to amp up the flavor and deepen the hue. The cool, sweet watermelon and tart raspberries make a great pair.

Slow-Cooker Short Ribs

May 11, 2015 By Becky 14 Comments

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If I had to pick one food to write a love song to, it would probably be short ribs. I just found out about them a couple of years ago when I ordered them at a restaurant expecting spareribs, and was surprised that the meltingly tender meat I received had no bones at all. The texture of short ribs feels so deluxe if you’re used to steak or ground beef. I can’t get enough!

You can buy boneless or bone-in short ribs. I usually buy bone-in because I think cooking with the bones in gives the meat extra flavor. They can be served on the bone, like in this recipe for kratiem prik thai short ribs, or off the bone, shredded, like I’ve done here.

Paleo Flatbread (Naan)

May 7, 2015 By Becky 62 Comments

Looking for a delicious paleo flatbread to scoop up some curry? This grain-free recipe rivals regular naan in both texture and flavor!

I’ve cracked the code on paleo naan! This grain-free flatbread is soft and chewy just like its gluten-laden counterparts, and thanks to the yeast, its flavor is really authentic. I’m actually a little bit worried about having figured out this recipe, because I now want it with every single meal. It’s going to take a lot of restraint to not just eat this instead of vegetables!

I’d never considered making a yeasted paleo flatbread before, partly because yeast can be time-consuming and partly because I had heard that gluten-free doughs don’t rise as well. And while that may be true, I was pretty excited about how well this dough rose (see the photos near the end of the post for evidence). Also, since this bread just needs one quick, 45-minute rise, it’s not totally insane to make on a weeknight.

I got the idea for this bread when I saw Heather’s perfect paleo flatbread recipe on Cook It Up Paleo. Her recipe calls for yeast, but doesn’t have you wait for the dough to rise. I couldn’t try her recipe as-is because it calls for coconut flour (I’m allergic to coconut), so I decided to play around with it a bit.

Easy Baked Chicken with Sherry Vinaigrette

April 29, 2015 By Becky 4 Comments

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Remember my rant about chicken breasts from last week?

I may have to retract some of it. After accidentally buying chicken breasts when I thought I was buying thighs, I was forced to give my least favorite cut of chicken another chance. Spoiler alert: it came out really well!

This baked chicken is really easy to make and stays moist thanks to a quick vinaigrette and a piece of parchment paper tucked around it when it cooks. It’s great for adding to salads, tossing with some zoodles, or just eating plain with a side of veggies. I tossed a couple of handfuls of greens with some extra sherry vinaigrette, sliced up half an avocado, and enjoyed my chicken in this simple salad.

Today I also wanted to let you all know about an awesome program called Paleo Rehab. Laura Schoenfeld of ancestralizeme.com and Kelsey Marksteiner of healthyguthealthylife.com, both registered dieticians, developed this comprehensive program to help people suffering from adrenal fatigue. (If you’re not familiar with adrenal fatigue, some of the symptoms are brain fog and persistent lack of energy. Check out the paleo rehab site to learn more!)

The program is on sale with a special bonus until May 4th–in addition to the videos, meal plans, and worksheets included in Paleo Rehab, you’ll get exclusive access to office hours with Laura and Kelsey twice a week. If you’re eating a paleo diet, getting enough sleep, and still feeling exhausted, this program could be perfect for you. (I’m a paleo rehab affiliate and also contributed one of my recipes to the program.)

Chocolate Doughnuts with Cherry Cheesecake Glaze

April 24, 2015 By Becky 4 Comments

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Chocolate Doughnuts with Cherry Cheesecake Glaze (Gluten free, Grain free)

These chocolate doughnuts with cherry cheesecake glaze are gluten free, grain free, and baked instead of fried, but you won’t feel like you’re missing out! They’re the perfect treat for any occasion.

It’s Friday! Paleo chocolate doughnuts with cherry cheesecake glaze, anyone?

I, for one, am super pumped about the color of this all-natural magenta glaze. It’s all about eating the rainbow, and aside from red cabbage, those purple hues can be kind of hard to find!

You may be surprised that this vibrant shade is all thanks to a mere handful of SIX frozen cherries (and, full disclosure, a tiiiiny bit of post-processing in Lightroom).

When I came up with the idea of a cherry cheesecake glaze for doughnuts, I was excited for it be pink. I was really surprised, though, when I ended up with this lovely shade of fuschia! The color may depend on the kind of cherries you use–I always buy frozen dark sweet cherries at Whole Foods (even though they’re called sweet cherries, there’s no sugar added) because I love to put them in smoothies, but my new favorite use for them is this delicious glaze.

Grilled Adobo Chicken & Sweet Potato Bowls with Jicama Guacamole

April 22, 2015 By Becky 8 Comments

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I have a bone to pick with boneless, skinless chicken breasts.

I mean, there aren’t any actual bones in there to pick, but I’m trying to say I have a problem with them. Ninety percent of the time I eat boneless, skinless chicken breasts, they’re no good! Dry, flavorless, and boring. One hundred percent of the time, I would much prefer chicken thighs.

(Side note: Back when I was a kid and McDonald’s still used dark meat in some of their chicken nuggets, I would refuse to eat the white meat ones. I would actually take a bite out of each nugget to check and only eat the ones that passed muster, which was usually 2-3 per order. I was a super fun kid. Thanks, Mom, for putting up with me!)

Anyway, chicken thighs are one of my go-tos (and luckily, McDonald’s chicken nuggets no longer are). I love bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for pan-searing and roasting or braising. I am even willing to go to the trouble of deboning thighs myself to make Nom Nom Paleo’s amazing cracklin’ chicken. And I love boneless, skinless chicken thighs for grilling and making curries. They’re moister and more flavorful than breasts, and won’t dry out even if you overcook them slightly. I’m super paranoid about making sure my poultry is fully cooked, so I like that extra flexibility.

Matcha Avocado Ice Cream

April 20, 2015 By Becky 12 Comments

This matcha avocado ice cream is delicious, easy to make and full of healthy fat. It’s gluten free with a dairy free option!

I’m working with high school students this semester, and on Mondays we have great chats about our weekends. I always feel like a boring, lame adult because every time they’re like, “What did you do this weekend?” I’m like, “Oh, I did a lot of cooking, and only a little bit of cleaning.” Welcome to my life.

I was excited last Monday because I felt like it sounded a lot cooler to say I made ice cream. Cooler both literally and figuratively, I suppose.

Of course, they wanted to know what flavor, and I wish you could have seen the looks on their faces when they found out I put avocado in my ice cream. They didn’t know what matcha was, and that part kind of flew under the radar–everyone was really stuck on the avocado.

You know what, though? It’s not weird at all. I knew I wanted to make a matcha ice cream (because matcha in all the things feels like spring to me), and I decided to throw in an avocado because green tea and avocado are spring-green-colored soul sisters. The finished product doesn’t taste like avocado, but has an added richness and health boost thanks to that sneaky addition.