recipe Archives - Page 10 of 33 - A Calculated Whisk

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.

Baked Pumpkin Custards with Maple Mascarpone Whipped Cream

October 1, 2016 By Becky 30 Comments

This post is sponsored by Cost Plus World Market.

These gluten-free baked pumpkin custards with maple mascarpone take just ten minutes to prepare, and are the perfect way to end a fall dinner.

Fall is finally here, and it’s no longer taboo to eat pumpkin spice everything! The first thing I like to whip up when the weather turns is these baked pumpkin custards with maple mascarpone whipped cream. The pumpkin custards are scrumptious, perfectly spiced, and super smooth—like pumpkin pie without the tedious process of making a crust. And the maple mascarpone whipped cream is rich and lightly sweetened, with just enough maple flavor in each bite to remind you that you’re eating something autumnal.

These custards are perfect for Halloween, Thanksgiving, or any special fall occasion, especially when baked in these adorable ceramic pumpkin bakers. To make this treat extra fun, I like to pick up a few different toppings to add even more texture and flavor and let each person mix and match to their heart’s content. Here I used crumbled gluten-free gingersnap cookies (leave them out if you’re avoiding rice flour), crystallized ginger chips, and pumpkin pie almonds, but any seasonal candy or cookie is a great bet. Shaved dark chocolate or chopped pecans would be delicious, too!

Slow-Cooker Balsamic Short Ribs with Parsnip Puree

September 23, 2016 By Becky 9 Comments

These tender slow-cooker balsamic short ribs are so comforting, with great flavor from the balsamic vinegar and rosemary. Serve them over parsnip puree with a simple vegetable side, like seared radicchio or quickly sautéed kale.

Who’s ready for part four of my ongoing love letter to short ribs? If you missed them, check out parts one, two, and three (plus the honey chipotle short ribs in Paleo Planet!). I love short ribs because they’re meltingly tender, full of meaty flavor, and really hard to mess up. They’re super easy to make in the slow cooker, and they go well with a wide variety of flavor profiles.

In this simple recipe, short ribs are cooked low and slow with plenty of balsamic vinegar and fresh rosemary for the perfect fall comfort food with an Italian bent.

To round out the meal, I like to serve these slow-cooker balsamic short ribs with an extra creamy (but cream-free!) parsnip puree. Parsnips are such a fun cold weather vegetable and they taste great as a puree–the flavor is beguiling and almost has hints of coconut to it.

This parsnip puree is pretty much heaven with some cooking juices from the short ribs spooned on top. If you’re looking for more on parsnips and reasons to love them, check out my parsnip and pumpkin soup post.

Picadillo with Plantains from Well Fed Weeknights

September 19, 2016 By Becky 10 Comments

This Cuban picadillo with plantains is a quick and tasty Whole30 meal that covers all the flavor bases: sweet, savory, tangy, spicy, and creamy.

Big news! The third book in Melissa Joulwan’s best-selling Well Fed series is almost here, and in my opinion, it’s the best one yet. Well Fed Weeknights is packed full of creative and delicious dinner recipes that can all be made in 45 minutes or less.

I’ve been a fan of Mel’s scrumptious recipes ever since I first made her carnitas years ago, so I was super excited when I got my hands on a preview copy of the book. Since I love Cuban food and especially adore plantains, this picadillo with plantains called out to me right away.

Picadillo is sort of like a hash made with ground beef and various other additions depending on the country each version hails from. This Cuban one starts off with onion, garlic, and a fragrant mix of spices starring cumin, coriander, and cinnamon, and is finished off with chunks of green plantain, sweet raisins, and green olives.

The picadillo is then served with lime slices, scallions, cilantro, and–if you’re me and you like to try out food trends but usually do so several months late–avocado roses. The result is a dish that’s satisfying and interesting in the best way, with sweet pops of raisin, sour olives, perfectly spiced meat, chewy plantains, and creamy avocado coming together to make quite a flavor party.

Stuffed Squash with Sausage and Apple

September 12, 2016 By Becky 22 Comments

Stuffed squash with sausage and apple is the ultimate Whole30 comfort food for fall. You can make this with delicata, acorn, or any winter squash!

I’ve been making this dish since last fall, when I never managed to make it early enough to have decent light left for a photo shoot. It quickly became one of my very favorite meals. This stuffed squash with sausage and apple is beautiful, filling, delicious, and nutritious.

The sweet squash is the perfect backdrop for savory sausage, onions, and mushrooms in a creamy cashew-based sauce, studded with little bits of apple for an extra layer of sweetness. And since these squash boats include a good dose of protein and veggies, I never feel the need to serve a side with them.

I first made these stuffed squash with sausage when I wasn’t doing a Whole30, so I stirred in sour cream and topped them with freshly grated parmigiano reggiano. However, the Whole30 version is shockingly similar.

Once the cashew sour cream is stirred into the sausage mixture, it tastes just as creamy as the lactose-laden version. And a little nutritional yeast gets stirred in to add a bit of cheesy flavor. I replaced the parmesan on top with chopped fresh basil, which tastes great and looks even prettier. Basically, Whole30 or not, you can’t go wrong with this dish.

Seared Salmon with Red Curry Vegetables

September 2, 2016 By Becky 6 Comments

Quickly seared salmon with irresistibly crispy skin is served on top of a creamy red curry with potatoes, sweet potatoes, summer squash, and bell peppers for a fast but super satisfying dinner. This post is sponsored by Fishpeople as part of their #FearNoFish campaign.

Are you a salmon fan? I never was until a couple of years ago, when I began testing salmon recipes for my cookbook. My editor insisted that the book needed at least two salmon recipes, so I gritted my teeth and got to work. To my surprise, I loved everything I made! When cooked just long enough, salmon is tender and delicious, especially when the skin is crisped over high heat at the start of cooking. And since salmon is quick to make, it’s perfect for busy weeknights when you need to get a healthy dinner on the table fast.

For this recipe, seared salmon is paired with red curry vegetables. I used in-season produce from my CSA box: potatoes, sweet potatoes, summer squash, and bell peppers. The veggies are cooked with Thai red curry paste, stock, and either cream or coconut milk. The resulting curry is a perfectly spicy foil for the rich, crispy-skinned salmon, especially with a squeeze of lime and a little fresh basil on top.

Fishpeople’s frozen salmon fillets are so easy to use. The fillets are individually wrapped, so you can defrost one at a time or both, and they’re already cut into a perfect portion (six ounces). I chose sockeye salmon fillets for this recipe–sockeye has a deep, gorgeous color and an almost buttery flavor. Fishpeople’s keta salmon will work for this recipe, too! To find a store near you that sells Fishpeople products, check out their store locator. Also, check out the giveaway widget below the next photo to enter to win a Fishpeople prize package.

Vanilla Bean Cheesecakes with Figs and Raspberries

August 25, 2016 By Becky 8 Comments

These vanilla bean cheesecakes with figs and raspberries require no grains, dairy, eggs, or cooking! They’re the ideal cold sweet treat for the end of summer. Thank you to Rodelle for providing products for this recipe!

I’m back, and I brought mini cheesecakes! Vanilla bean mini cheesecakes made with cashews and topped with fresh figs and raspberries, that is. And you don’t even need to cook or bake anything! These little cheesecakes are so satisfying on a summer evening. The no-bake crust is just sweet enough, with a hint of chocolate and an almondy crunch, and the cheesecake layer is super-smooth and studded with vanilla bean seeds. On top are fresh raspberries and figs sitting like frosted jewels. The combination is so addictive that I know these will vanish from your freezer just as fast as they did from mine!

Here’s how these vanilla bean cheesecakes come together. First, you need to soak your cashews in hot water for an hour and soak the pitted dates in hot water for at least fifteen minutes. (Want to soak all your stuff the same amount of time? A little extra won’t hurt the dates!) Then, you’re going to pulse dates, almonds, and a little bit of cocoa in the food processor to make the crust. The chocolate isn’t a dominant flavor, but gives the crust a little extra something. I don’t like it when my desserts taste too much like dates, and the cocoa also helps mask that flavor a bit. You grease a muffin tin, line the cups with a little parchment paper handle like in the photo below, and pat a dollop of crust right into each cup.

Ribeye Steak with Chimichurri Butter + FREE Grass-fed Ribeyes

August 8, 2016 By Becky 8 Comments

Grassfed ribeye steak with chimichurri butter is the perfect easy summer dinner to throw on the grill. Thank you so much to ButcherBox for supplying the grassfed steaks for this recipe!

If you’re on a summer oven-free streak like me, I have just the meal for you: grilled ribeye steaks, sweet corn, and summer squash, all slathered with a delectable chimichurri butter. This meal is super quick and easy to put together, and if you don’t like or have corn or squash it’s easy to sub in other summer veggies. The chimichurri butter is a creamier version of the world’s best steak condiment, featuring fresh parsley, garlic, oregano, and just a hint of a vinegary tang. You’ll want to melt a pat of it on everything savory that comes off your grill for the rest of summer.

Oh, and the best part? You can get the grass-fed ribeye steaks for this meal for free!

The delicious grass-fed ribeyes pictured here are from ButcherBox, a company that searches high and low for the best grass-fed, grass-finished beef, heritage pork, and organic chicken, and delivers it all right to your door in a convenient subscription box. You can choose between an all-beef, beef and chicken, beef and pork, or all three box, and each one contains 7-10 pounds of meat, or enough for up to 20 individual meals.

Watermelon Cooler

August 5, 2016 By Becky 4 Comments

This refreshing watermelon cooler has a hint of basil and cucumber and stays chilled thanks to frozen watermelon balls. Cheers to summer!

Big news: the popsicle stain came out of my pants, and I made us a watermelon cooler to celebrate!

A couple weeks ago Ben came home with a really pretty bottle of something called Uncle Val’s Botanical Gin. He tried it at a bar in Nashville and enjoyed it, so he hunted down some to bring home. I was excited because gin and tequila are my spirits of choice, but Ben usually only buys whiskey and I just can’t stand it. I tried the gin and in addition to the expected piney juniper flavors, I noticed hints of cucumber and sage. It’s such a unique flavor, and really refreshing for summer. I suspected it would pair perfectly with fresh watermelon and decided to create this watermelon cooler.

A watermelon cooler is just what you need on a summer Friday. If gin is not your spirit of choice, this is also delicious virgin and I bet it’d be great with tequila, too. It’s basically watermelon juice amped up with a bit of subtlely herbal honey syrup and tangy lime juice.

Cardamom Coffee Fudgesicles

July 25, 2016 By Becky 19 Comments

These cardamom coffee fudgesicles are like the perfect iced mocha in creamy popsicle form. The cardamom gives them a uniquely enticing flavor.

I finally got a popsicle mold! I’ve been trying to avoid single-use kitchen gadgets, but I just couldn’t help myself. Since getting the mold about a month ago, I think I’ve made these cardamom coffee fudgesicles five times. I had to make sure the recipe made just the right number of popsicles and had just the right amount of cardamom. Also, they kept getting eaten before I could get them photographed!

By the way, photographing popsicles in the summer is not easy! I didn’t plan ahead, so we didn’t have any ice made to set up a cold plate like this. I decided I’d just go for it and be super quick, but the pops were melting even faster than I expected.

I freaked out a little because I didn’t want to lose all five of the ones I was snapping pictures of, so I stuck four of them back in the freezer and left one out to photograph.

Summer Kale Salad with Peaches and Candied Pecans

July 18, 2016 By Becky 14 Comments

This refreshing summer kale salad is packed with seasonal superfoods and topped with creamy goat cheese and crunchy candied pecans.

Kale salads. How do you feel? I was a little suspicious back in the day, but if I give the kale a good massage and add a lot of different toppings, I can now get pretty excited about them. If you’re not into kale salads yet, let me see if I can sell you: we’re adding juicy peaches and blueberries, creamy goat cheese, and perfectly salty-sweet candied pecans.

CANDIED PECANS! Sorry to shout, but they’re so good, and they’re super easy and quick to make on the stovetop in less than ten minutes. No fuss, no oven. And you may want to make a double batch, because it’s hard to stop snacking on them. I ate a lot of mine before the salad even got dressed!

In other news, I have a serious peach problem. Last summer, we got down to Chattanooga at the end of peach session, right after The Peach Truck had left town. I was so mad I had missed out. All year I waited and checked the schedule. And when they came to East Ridge a little over a week ago, I was there. I bought a 25-pound box of peaches and a one-pound bag of pecans.

Since then, it’s been all peaches all the time. In addition to eating an embarrassing number of them out of hand, juice dripping everywhere, I’ve made a peach dutch baby, peach margaritas (I shared the full recipe on Insta–they’re so good!), peach muffins, and peach ice cream.

No-Churn Cherry Ice Cream

July 16, 2016 By Becky 11 Comments

This no-churn cherry ice cream is simple, ridiculously easy, and so good! What more could you ask for from a summer dessert? With a dairy-free option that’s vegan and paleo with no added sugar, everyone can indulge.

How do you feel about the dog days of summer? I may be alone in this, but I like them. I find extreme heat kind of comforting. I like how the air is almost palpable when the temperatures get high, as if it’s a blanket wrapped around you providing a bit of pressure. I made it through two Houston summers with no AC in my car (I still miss that ’89 Buick!) and now I’m relishing my first full hot summer here in the Tennessee Valley.

Of course, that doesn’t mean I don’t also like to indulge in frozen treats when it’s hot out. We’re still living in a very small house, so my beloved ice cream maker is in storage. That means I’ve been turning to my favorite no-churn frozen treats time and time again, and this no-churn cherry ice cream is the one I make the most.

It’s unbelievably simple, and it tastes so good. I actually first made and shared this several years ago, but it was buried in the archives with terrible photos, so I know many of you never got to see it.

I took some time off from this ice cream because I always loved it so much made with coconut milk, and about a year ago I discovered that I’m allergic to coconut. However, recently I’ve been making this ice cream with heavy cream, and while it’s much less paleo it is still delicious. It’s hard to do a true comparison since I can’t taste the two versions side by side, but I think the coconut milk version is even a little better. Go for that unless you’re coconut averse or allergic like me! As a bonus, that means the ice cream is vegan as long as you don’t add any honey.

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