A Calculated Whisk

Crispy Honey Butter Salmon + How to Get Crispy Salmon Skin

February 13, 2017 By Becky 36 Comments

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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.

Weekday Morning Paleo Dutch Baby (Cranberry or Plain)

February 7, 2017 By Becky 60 Comments

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This paleo dutch baby takes less than half an hour start to finish, making it the perfect treat for weekday mornings. Whip one up for your valentine this week!

Ready to switch things up? Try my new chocolate paleo dutch baby recipe!

A couple of weeks ago I shared a picture of a cranberry dutch baby on Instagram, and people got really excited. Several people messaged me asking for the recipe early because they couldn’t wait until I posted it on here to make it. I can understand the excitement–these paleo dutch babies are pretty fabulous, especially because they’re simple to make in less than half an hour.

I have to be at work at 7:45 on Wednesday mornings, and I often roll out of bed at 6:15 and whip one of these up. Just because it’s early on a weekday doesn’t mean we don’t have time to make a hearty and indulgent breakfast!

This paleo dutch baby is a streamlined, small-batch version of the German Apple Pancake from my cookbook, Paleo Planet. I find myself making this weekday morning variation much more often than the original–so often, in fact, that I have the ingredients and quantities memorized. If you have a two-tablespoon measure (otherwise known as a standard coffee scoop!), the process is especially easy.

22 Grain-Free Treats for Valentine’s Day

February 3, 2017 By Becky 12 Comments

22 Grain-free Treats for Valentine's Day

This roundup of grain-free treats for Valentine’s Day has something for everyone, from chocolate lovers to fruit fans to caramel enthusiasts.

Valentine’s Day (or Valentime’s Day, as my students always called it–this makes sense because it happens at a specific time every year!) is right around the corner. Whether or not you’re into the whole idea of a romantic holiday, it never hurts to make a special treat for yourself or someone you love, right?

Here’s a roundup of 22 grain-free treats for Valentine’s Day that anyone would be thrilled to receive. We’ve got chocolate desserts, fruit desserts, a few with both chocolate and fruit, and a bit of caramel–a little something for everyone. I’ve marked the ones that are vegan, dairy free, egg free, and nut free in case you’re looking for those.

This post was hard for me to put together because I’m still in the midst of a Whole30, but Ben graciously agreed that we can push Valentine’s Day back and celebrate when I’m finished. When February 24th rolls around, you can bet we’ll be indulging in at least one of these grain-free desserts!

What are your plans for Valentine’s Day? Are you making a dessert (paleo or otherwise)? I’d love to hear about it in the comments!

Without further ado, here are 22 grain-free, paleo-friendly treats for your Valentine’s Day cooking pleasure!

Grain-free Chocolate Treats for Valentine’s Day

22 Grain-free Treats for Valentine's Day

Mocha Ricotta Pie with Strawberries: Possibly my favorite dessert of all time. The intriguing flavor of this pie is reminiscent of a great cannoli and will have everyone coming back for seconds and thirds.

Whole30 Breakfast Nachos

January 30, 2017 By Becky 36 Comments

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

These Whole30 breakfast nachos are ideal for game day or anytime you’re craving a decadent plate of nachos but still want to stick to paleo ingredients. They take just half an hour to make!

Where have breakfast nachos been all my life? They’re a million times better than any nachos I’ve ever had before, despite being free of gluten, grains, and dairy. They’re super fast to make and just as welcome in the evening as at breakfast time. What’s not to love?

For these Whole30 breakfast nachos, we’re using thinly sliced potatoes cooked to a crisp in bacon grease instead of tortilla chips. This is one of those healthier substitutions that just so happens to taste way better than the original. The potatoes get really nice and crunchy around the edges, but still retain a little toothsome chew near the middle. I’d happily eat a sheet pan full of them with no adornment whatsoever.

I can’t say no to any of these toppings, though. We’ve got crispy bacon, eggs cooked to your liking (bring on the runny yolks for me!), rich avocado, thinly sliced scallions, crispy bits of radish, fresh cilantro, tart lime, and some salsa on the side. And once you break that yolk and let it mix a bit with the potatoes and toppings, I swear to you it will taste like these nachos have cheese in them! You just have to try it to believe it.

Instant Pot Potato Leek Soup with Cauliflower

January 23, 2017 By Becky 47 Comments

This Instant Pot potato leek soup is lightened up with the addition of cauliflower, and comes together super quickly in a pressure cooker. It’s also paleo and Whole30 compliant!

It’s Day 1 of my January/February Whole30! Usually I start a Whole30 right at the beginning of January, but this year I had plans to help out with a styled wedding shoot and travel to Florida. I wanted to make sure I could eat some faux wedding cake and all the Cuban food, so I pushed my start date to today.

I went to a great yoga class last night and made some mini frittatas (similar to these) to reheat for quick breakfasts, so things are going swimmingly so far. Tonight my Whole30 partner in crime Lindsey and I are making my shepherd’s pie with rutabaga, which is one of my favorite cold-weather meals of all time.

This instant pot potato leek soup is a great addition to my winter Whole30 repertoire. The base of the soup is half potato and half cauliflower, so you get the great flavor and creaminess of potatoes without the huge carb spike.

Anyone suspicious of cauliflower will not be able to taste it! The leeks add wonderful savory flavor to the soup, which is further complemented by the grassy, oniony freshness of the chives sprinkled on top.

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 22 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.

40 Whole30 Instant Pot Recipes

January 11, 2017 By Becky 8 Comments

Move over, slow cooker–you’ve been replaced! This roundup of Whole30 Instant Pot recipes will help you save tons of time and eat ridiculously well while meeting your nutritional goals.

Looking for more Whole30 recipes? Check out these 16 Whole30 Sheet Pan Dinners. Also, there are over 80 Whole30-compliant recipes in my cookbook, Paleo Planet!

If you don’t have an Instant Pot yet, you are missing out! This electronic pressure cooker has quickly become my number one kitchen gadget because it saves me so much time without sacrificing any flavor. I have this model, which is just $99 right now, but there’s also a new bluetooth version that looks pretty amazing.

With the Instant Pot, recipes that take all day in a slow cooker are done in just an hour or two, which is perfect for people like me who don’t excel at planning ahead. It also has a sauté feature, so you can brown meats right in the pot before pressure cooking.

And if you enjoy being able to have dinner simmering away slowly all day while you’re at work, worry not–in addition to high and low pressure settings, the Instant Pot also has slow cooker settings.

It’s perfect for making rice, too, so you can basically replace your crockpot and your rice cooker with this one miracle appliance. It’s also a great steamer, and has settings for pasteurizing milk and making yogurt (I have yet to use those, but I like knowing they’re there).

If you’re doing a January Whole30, these Instant Pot recipes will save you from food boredom while also saving you tons of time. Even if you’re not doing a Whole30, these healthful, real-food recipes are perfect for feeding you and your family any night of the week.

Looking for even more Whole30 Instant Pot recipes? Find ten more right here!

Whole30 Instant Pot Chicken Recipes:

Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Soup from Real Simple Good

Cheesy Chicken & Green Zoodles from The Castaway Kitchen

Pressure Cooker Lemongrass & Coconut Chicken from Nom Nom Paleo

Huevos Divorciados + Salsa Verde

January 9, 2017 By Becky 26 Comments

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

Huevos divorciados is a classic Mexican breakfast that’s just as amazing for dinner. Homemade salsa verde makes it extra special!

Huevos divorciados, which literally translates to “divorced eggs”, are one of my favorite Mexican breakfasts. Two fried eggs are served with two different kinds of salsa–in this case, salsa verde and ancho chile salsa. They’re often separated by some refried beans and potatoes, but I like to serve them with a quick sweet potato hash. If you have your salsas ready, this meal comes together in less than 30 minutes. And while homemade salsa is the most delicious (plus fun and easy to make!), store-bought salsas can definitely work, too. Just read the labels carefully if you’re doing a Whole30!

These huevos divorciados and salsa verde are from my cookbook, Paleo Planet. If you don’t have your copy yet, you can order one on Amazon or pick one up at many Barnes & Noble stores and local booksellers. The book has over 125 internationally-inspired paleo recipes, including over 80 that are Whole30 compliant. You can download the Whole30 recipe list right here!

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

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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.

Top 16 Paleo Recipes of 2016

December 29, 2016 By Becky 2 Comments

Top 16 Paleo Recipes of 2016

As the year comes to an end, I like to take a look back and see which recipes were the biggest hits with you all throughout the year. Luckily, the ones that make the cut are usually favorites of mine, too! I hope you pin at least a few of these to try during 2017.

16. Picadillo with Plantains (Whole30): This delicious meal is from Melissa Joulwan’s new cookbook, Well Fed Weeknights. The avocado rose is optional but highly recommended (and much easier than you’d think!).

Top 16 Paleo Recipes of 2016: Picadillo with Plantains

15. Maple Balsamic Chicken & Bacon Skewers: These are everything in the summer, but you can make them in the broiler when the weather outside is frightful! I don’t think I’ll ever make kebabs without a bacon weave again.

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