Paleo Chicken Piccata

Paleo Chicken Piccata

For the chicken:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
     Trimmed of excess fat, tenderloins removed.  If the breasts are thick, I like to butterfly them so that they're thinner and cook more evenly.
About 1 cup almond meal
     (almond meal are just ground-up, skin on almonds. Almond flour can also be used, but I prefer the flavor of the meal.  To make, just put raw almonds into a food processor and grind as finely as possible.)
Salt and Pepper
Olive or coconut oil--enough to put a shallow layer in the bottom of a large skillet


For the sauce:
1 medium shallot, minced (about 3 Tablespoons)
Salt
2 medium garlic cloves, minced (don't use a garlic press--it is too fine, and will cause the garlic to burn easily
1 1/2 Cups Chicken broth
1/2 lemon, ends trimmed, sliced thin
2 Tablespoons whipping cream or 1/2 and 1/2 (sorry, it's not completely dairy-free)
1 teaspoon *xanthan gum (can also use 1 teaspoon cornstarch)
2 tablespoons juice from 1 lemon
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and patted dry
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves
Ground black pepper

1. Salt and pepper both sides of the chicken breasts, then dredge in almond meal. When dredging, really push the meal into the chicken so that you get a good layer.







2. Heat oil in a large skillet. When oil is hot (shimmering but not smoking) place chicken breasts in the pan and cook on each side until golden brown. Be careful to check often as the almond meal browns quickly. If chicken is not quite done, or juices are not running clear yet, place the breasts in a 350 degree oven until cooked all the way through. (To bake breaded chicken, I like to lay the chicken on top of a cooling rack that is placed a baking sheet so that the bottom doesn't get soggy or stick to the pan)






3. Set chicken aside while you make the sauce




1.  Add the shallot and 1/4 teaspoon salt to the oil left in the skillet, return to medium-low heat, and cook until softened, about 2 minutes.  Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Stir in the broth and lemon slices, scraping up the browned bits from the chicken.  Bring to a simmer and cook until the mixture measures 1 cup, about 5 minutes. 

2.  Pour any accumulated chicken juices into simmering sauce.  Whisk the milk and cornstarch together in a small bowl, or if using xanthan gum to thicken, add milk into sauce then lightly DUST the xanthan gum over the top of the sauce.  Try to sprinkle as finely as possible to lessen clumping.  (If it does clump up a little, don't worry about it.  It doesn't really have a flavor or texture)  Continue to simmer the sauce until it has thickened, about 1 minute.  Off the heat, stir in the lemon juice, capers, and parsley,and season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Spoon the sauce over the chicken before serving.

Food Journal?

If you haven't been able to tell, I'm officially burned out on food journaling.  I basically eat the same thing all the time anyway, so I don't feel too badly about my laziness! 


The comments regarding my food journal have all been the same, and what I hear is, "ew, I could never eat like that, but kuddos to you!". It gets a chuckle out of me every time, because if I had read my own  food journal a few years ago, I would have said the same thing.  In fact, I probably would have called myself "fanatical" or "unbalanced".  Granted, if I didn't have food sensitivities, I wouldn't be nearly as strict.  I don't think I'm better than, or look down on those of you that eat bread with your deli ham.  I've found something that works for my body, and I look and feel better than I have in YEARS. 


Finding the path to your healthiest self is a journey not a sprint, and as you become more mindful about what you eat and how it affects you, you will discover what changes you need to make in order to be your personal best.  All of what God has designed you to be.  What I see over and over are people that are sick, tired, or injured, but who are not willing to give up the foods that are contributing to their maladies.  Food is a powerful drug, and can be either very good or very bad.  You just have to decide what is important to you.  Is feeling your best worth sacrificing grains, sugar, dairy, or whatever is making you sick?  Your answer may be no!  It may be totally worth it to you to feel less than your best, but free to consume the foods you love.  You may decide that it just takes to much thought, study, and preparation to dramatically change your eating habits.  To make dietary changes, you WILL feel like food consumes your life for a while.  But it's only for a relatively short period of time.  Eventually, you will find what works for you, and it will become effortless. I can promise that it's worth the work to live your life to it's fullest potential.


 Give it a shot:  Paleo, (no grains, no sugar, no dairy) for 30 days. 
After the 30 days, start to add those things back into your diet one at a time.  Note how they make you feel.  I promise that you will discover something about yourself that you didn't know!  If you eat a piece of bread, or cake, or ice cream, does your stomach hates you for it?  Bingo!  Food sensitivity you didn't know you had.  Our bodies can, in a way, build up immunities to the foods that we're sensitive or allergic to, but once they're removed for a period of time, and added back in...well, you'll know!  Bad stuff happens.  There are people who have been Celiac (gluten allergy) all their lives and never knew it.  By the time they discover what has caused their IBS or other symptoms for years, their intestines are severely damaged, and it takes years to heal.  Big time bummer.  Or perhaps you have an auto immune disease that could be completely reversed if you stop eating what your body can't process properly.  (Food was the cause of my Thyroid disease)
Ok, I'll quit rambling.  I could talk FOREVER about this, so if you have any questions or concerns, just ask.  Or perhaps you disagree with my nutritional advice.  I'd like to hear your side of the story!


Oh, btw, want to know if I had any results from my last 30 days being strict Paleo?
--Tossed a pair of shorts won't stay up anymore
--Put ON a pair of jeans I wore pre-childbirth ;)
--Went down 1 whole size. 
--Lost inches around my waist, hips and thighs
--Occasional tingling I get in my hands is gone.  Most likely a result of cutting the sugar.
WHOOP!!!

Coconut Porc Au Lait

My first go-around with the original recipe didn't turn out quite the way I desired.  But, after a few little tweaks, the second time was a success!

As you may guess, Porc au Lait is a french dish, and is translated "pork with milk".  It uses the traditional french method of braising, or slow roasting meat in a shallow liquid. And of course, the liquid becomes a rich, delicious sauce!  Traditional Porc au Lait calls for whole milk and butter for richness.  The beauty of my recipe is that it is dairy-free, but you get the desired richness and mouthfeel of a creamy sauce from the fat (good, healthy fat) in the coconut milk. I hope you and your family enjoys it as much as we did! 
Bon Appitite'! (As Julia Childs would say)

Coconut Porc au Lait

1-2 pork tenderloins (make sure to get one that doesn't have any seasonings or sauces, I like Hormel Naturals)

3 tbs olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

1 carrot, finely diced

1 garlic clove, finely diced

1 tsp coconut flour

1 can unsweetened coconut milk

1/3 C. Chicken stock 

1 bay leaf

1 t. basil

1 t. thyme

Salt and Pepper to taste (I used about
1/2 t. salt I think)

*Xanthan Gum (optional)

Heat olive oil in a large dutch oven, season the pork liberally with salt and pepper and brown on all sides. Remove from pan and set aside. Add onion, carrot and garlic and saute for about 10 minutes. Add the flour and stir to coat, then add the coconut milk, broth, bay leaf, basil, and thyme. Bring to a boil, return the pork to the dutch oven and simmer for 45 minutes.

Remove the pork, and puree what's left in the pot. Serve sliced pork with sauce!

*Xanthan gum--This is a great thickening agent for sauces, and can be found at most grocery stores.  It's white  powder, and the brand found most easily is probably Bob's Red Mill.  When using it in a sauce, always sprinkle a very light dusting across the top of the liquid, then stir in.  If you don't just dust it over the top, it lumps up easily, and cannot be whisked out.  But, even if it happens to end up lumpy, it doesn't really have a flavor, so you'll be fine ;0)

Food Journal 5-11

Morning:
   3 slices turkey, almonds

Afternoon:
   leftover sausage and peppers from last night's omelet
1 cookie ;0( oops.

Evening:
   Bourbon Street!  Got burger topped with andouille sausage, swiss cheese and spicy mustard, no bun.  Side Caesar salad.  1/4 beer.

Almost Homemade Spaghetti

The other day, I picked up a Spaghetti sauce that I had not yet tried at Forward Foods in OKC, and can also be found at Epicurean's Pantry in Edmond.  This is it:

It was a chunky sauce that was full of tomatoes, whole cloves of garlic, and fresh basil leaves.  So delicious, and all I had to do was pour it into a pan!  Well, almost.  I added a little protein in the form of 3/4 pound PlumRich ground beef, 1/4 pound sausage, and 2 bacon rashers!!  The bacon was a new thought for me, and will now on be added to all of my tomato sauces.  I just cut it up into small pieces and browned it with the other meat.  It added an unexpected richness to the flavor of the sauce.

As you can see in the photo, the sauce was not served on pasta of course, but spaghetti squash.  It simulates the texture of pasta, but has a "squashy" flavor.  Yummo!  Another pasta alternative that my aunt has used is to use a vegetable peeler to slice up some zucchini squash, then saute' the slices in olive oil.  I have not yet tried this, but am anxious to do so.


To cook the Spaghetti Squash:


1.  Slice the thing in half.  (This is by far the hardest part!)  I use a sharp knife to cut it as much as possible, then finish it off by dropping it on the countertop a few times to pop it apart.
2.  Place both halves in the microwave for 10 minutes
3.  Put the slightly pre-cooked squash face up in a roasting pan filled with about 1" of water, and drizzle with olive oil.  Place in 350 degree oven for about 1 hour or until squash can be "shredded" with a fork.  It will pull apart into strands that look like spaghetti pasta.

Food Journal 5-11

Morning:
3 slices ham, macadamia nuts, coffee with cream

Afternoon:
leftover ribs (for the last time.  yea!) canned peaches, 100% juice.
wasabi almonds

Evening:
Spaghetti on spaghetti squash, broccoli (recipe to follow)

Note:  Probably didn't eat nearly enough today...just wasn't feelin' it!

Food Journal 5-10

Morning:
3 egg omelet with green peppers, onions, garlic, sausage, and ham

Afternoon:
leftover ribs, squash and carrots

Evening:
burger, no bun with mustard, onions, tomatoes, and guacamole.  Corn on the cob

Food Journal 5-9

Morning:
Strawberries and almonds

Afternoon:
Eggs and bacon, strawberries
Soy and Wasabi almonds

Evening:
Ribs, squash, zuchinni  (My in-laws have  been in town, and love to cook.  I haven't cooked since Friday!  I know, you're jealous.)

Food Journal 5-7

Morning:
   nothing.  boo.

Afternoon:
   3 slices ham, 1/4 cucumber, 1/4 apple
   soy and wasabi almonds.  the soy makes them non-paleo, I     suppose.
   Sonic Jr. Cheeseburger, no bun.
  
Evening:
   grilled chicken Caesar salad
   a Nor-Cal Margarita!!!!!! (2 shots tequila, 1/2 lime, topped off with seltzer water.  There is some complicated chemistry involved that causes blood sugar to rise and fall gradually.  so that makes them healthy, right? ;0)

Food Journal 5-6

This has been a bad food day for me.  I found out that busyness and exhaustion cause me to make some bad food choices.  Good to know.  Anyway...

Morning:
   1 steamed egg on 2 slices Hormel Naturals Ham

Afternoon:
   2 double cheeseburgers from McDonald's, with mustard, no bun.
 I was out, starving, and that was the best I could find.  Honestly, when I'm out and can't eat a salad, I find that this is a pretty good option.  Contrary to what many people think, McDonald's burgers are 100% beef--no soy.  I'm sure they aren't very good quality beef, and are choc full of sodium, but when eaten rarely, won't kill you ;0)
Snack: almonds and bite-sized prunes.  Again, prunes are amazing.  Did you know they contain more antioxidants than blueberries?

Evening:
Leftover peppers and sausage from last night
1/2 beer (told you I was bad)
Later: Grande Breve Latte and a few M&Ms 

Smoked Sausage and Peppers

 My lovely friend Hannah gave me this recipe the other day, as it has become one of her family's favorites. After fixing it this evening, it has become one of mine too. Delicious and SIMPLE. Now, the original recipe called for Turkey Polish Sausage. But, I've found that it is tricky to find sausage that isn't full of nitrates, nitrites, corn syrup, corn starch etc. I went to Forward Foods ( ) in OKC and found some all-natural, smoked sausage that was marvelous. You can also find natural sausage at Epicurians Pantry here in Edmond, and they also carry this AMAZING ground beef called PlumRich Beef ;)

Smoked Sausage and Peppers


2 T. olive oil
2 medium yellow bell peppers, seeded and diced
2 medium red bell peppers, seeded and diced
1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 small onion, chopped
2 medium zucchini, cubed
3 T. minced garlic (don't mince it up too small or it will burn)


1 T. steak seasoning (make sure it doesn't contain Monosodium Glutamate, or MSG= bad stuff...it'll kill you.)
1T. onion powder
1 (16 oz.) package smoked sausage, or any natural sausage that sounds yummy to you.
1 T. balsamic vinegar or to taste

1.  Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the red and yellow bell peppers, mushrooms, zucchini, onion and garlic, and stir to cook evenly.  Season with steak seasoning and onion powder.  Cover, and cook for about 10 minutes.

2.  Add the sausage to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, for another 10 minutes.  Just before serving, add a splash of balsamic vinegar and sprinkle liberally with Parmeasean cheese.

Grated Parmeasan cheese for topping.  (Cheese is not really paleo, so it could be omitted if you desire.

Food Journal 5-4

Morning:
   3 slices ham, orange, strawberries, almonds

Afternoon:
   1 link organic sausage, strawberries, applesauce

Evening:
   Turkey Polish Sausage and peppers (Recipe posted this evening)
   Apples with cinnamon pan cooked in butter...yum!

PS I've also been taking Carlson's Fish Oil.  To figure out how much, I used the Fish Oil Calculator that Robb Wolf and Whole 9 created.  Here's the link.   http://whole9life.com/fish-oil/

Food Journal 2-3

Morning:
   nothing.  oops.
Afternoon:
2 burger patties with chili garlic sauce, raw red bell peppers with ranch
Snack: Natural Fruit Roll-up, organic turkey sticks, diet limeaid

note:  one of my new favorite sauces is Tuong Chili Garlic sauce. (Green lid, rooster on the front) It doesn't contain any "bad stuff", and has a LOT of flavor.  Spicy, but not blow your head off spicy.  Yummo!

Evening:
Burger patty, corn on the cob (I know, not Paleo)
Yogi Bedtime Herbal Tea

Food Journal 5-1

Morning:
   2 "cuties" oranges and some macademias, coffee

Afternoon:
   Taco Salad
   Latte' and some fruit chew things from Starbucks.  No sugar, but they did contain carnuba wax.  Isn't that what you wax a car with?  Oh well, they were yummy.

Evening:
   Leftover taco meat and an apple with almond butter

Food Journal 2-29

Morning:
   almonds--yup, that's it.  Oh, and coffee of course

Afternoon:
   salad with ceasar dressing, 4 slices Hormel Naturals Ham

Evening:
   pulled bbq pork, salad, and a pickle
   strawberries with blanched almonds and a drizzle of honey

Food Journal 2-29

Morning:
   Coffee and Smoothie (strawberries, almond milk, splash apple juice, almond butter) Side note: I only do smoothies if I'm working out right after, as the exercise keeps my blood sugar from spiking and crashing

Afternoon:
   Deli ham, salad with ceasar dressing, carrots, strawberries
   Snack:  macademia nuts

Evening:
   Grilled chicken, salad, couple bites of rice pilaf. 
(Had to respectfully decline Raspberries and Cream Ribbon Cake at a party this evening, and it caused me GREAT PAIN!)

Food Journal 4-28

Morning:
  Strawberries, 1/2 orange,  2 pieces bacon


Afternoon:
  1 can tuna mixed with Mayo, pickle, carrot sticks, and a few almonds
  macademia nuts and prunes (hey, don't laugh. I'm not having "issues". They're yummy, sweet, and super low on the glycemic index (ie: don't spike blood sugar)


Evening:
  Paleo Porc au Lait (will post recipe if it's good) and green beans
(Ok, the recipe needs a bit of tweaking before I post...I'll work on it.)
 

Food Journal 4-27

Morning:
 Handful macadamia nuts, 1 apple, coffee with cream
Orange

Afternoon:
2 Jr. Burgers from Sonic, with mustard--no bun
3 slices Hormel Naturals Smoked Deli Ham

Evening:
PlumRich Beef tacos with guacomole and just a BIT of cheese :).  Put them on egg wraps (recipe in previous post)

Lots of water all day.  My favorite is Seltzer Water with fresh lime. (Especially if it's mostly tequilla, lol!! But, none of that today.)

Seaside Kitchen: Egg Wraps

Seaside Kitchen was suggested by a friend, and has since become one of my favorite Paleo recipe sites.  Really different stuff.  Anyway, tacos were on the menu tonight, and since I'm doing this Paleo challenge, my usual corn tortillias were out.  Just so I wouldn't have to pile up meat and guacomole in my hand, I made these egg wraps.  Delicious!

Note:  to make almond meal, just grind up raw almonds with the skin, as finely as possible in a food processor, then shake through a strainer to sift out any big pieces.  Keep an eye on it though--if you grind too long, it turns to almond butter!

Seaside Kitchen: Paleo Lunch - Tuna with Egg Wraps and Avocado: "Lunch is sometimes the hardest part about 'becoming' paleo as most Americans are used to sandwiches and get anxious when they can't think of..."

And so it begins...

I, along with my lovely girl friends at Core SPI started a 30-day Paleo challenge today.  We went through the painful process of taking measurements and calcutating body fat percentages.  We're now all BFFs as we not only know what everyone weighs, but EXACTLY how much fat we have on our bodies.  It was painful.  Very painful.
 We will be strict Paleo, or at least as close to that as possible, and will be keeping a food journal.  I said I'd never keep another food journal, but decided to break my promise in support of my buddies.  In fact, I'm going to post mine here just in case the general public wonders "What do you fix for dinner?...and lunch...and breakfast...and snacks.
Here's to improved fitness performance and fat loss!! *Clink*

(If you would like to join us in our challenge, feel free to post YOUR food journal here as a comment.  Feel free to ask questions as well.  I'll do my best to answer them properly, or at least direct you to someone that will)

Curry Pork

Although this recipe is pretty hard-core Paleo (meaning that it could really use some delicious flat-bread or something to go with it) it was really tasty, and one that I will fix again.  I apologize for the lack of photography, perhaps I'll take a pic of the leftovers tomorrow, and add it!

Curry Pork

2# ground pork
1T. olive oil
1-2 T. curry powder
1 t. salt
Pepper to taste
1 large bag fresh baby spinach leaves
1/2 can coconut milk
2/3 cloves fresh garlic, pressed or finely minced
1 t. *Xanthan Gum

Heat oil in very large skillet or dutch oven (something pretty big) and brown ground pork.  Add in curry powder, s & p as pork is browning, chopping and mixing until there are no large pieces of pork.  Add garlic, coconut milk and spinach.  Mix around a bit, and allow the spinach to wilt down. (Takes about 10 minutes.)
When spinach is completely wilted, remove the spinach and pork, and set aside--leaving the "gravy" in the skillet.  Add Xanthan Gum and whisk until smooth.  Allow to boil until the mixture thickens, about 3-4 minutes.  Add spinach/pork mixture back in and heat through.  Serves about 2. (I doubled it for leftovers)

*

Note:  Next time, I plan to use 1/2 ground beef, and 1/2 pork sausage.  It would be good with a little extra "zing" or spicy-ness, and I think the sausage would be delicious.  The original recipe also indicated that chicken could be used instead of the pork.

Beef Rouladen

Well, I'm back.  This is such a discipline for me, though I'm not sure why!  I have a couple of new recipes to share, and hope that you will enjoy them as much as I did.  The first is a long-time family favorite of mine that I've modified to be gluten and starch free.

Beef Rouladen

1/4 C. Dijon or Whole Grain Mustard
8 slices top round steak, 1/4" thick, about 2 pounds.  (Have the butcher slice it for you)
Salt and Pepper to Taste
8 Bacon Rashers (or strips, to be less technical)
1 medium onion, cut into thin wedges
3 T. olive oil
3 C. Beef Broth
1 T. *Xanthan Gum

Cut each bacon rasher in half lengthwise to form two long strips.  Salt and pepper each slice of beef, spread with a layer of mustard, then follow with the bacon strips and onion slices.  Roll it up starting at the short end and secure with toothpicks.  Did you ever wonder what a "roulade" was?  Well, now you know.
Heat up the oil in a skillet, and brown all sides of roulades.  Add broth, bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.  (1 hour if using grass-fed beef) Remove meat and keep warm.  Whisk the Xanthan Gum into the broth until as smooth as possible, and allow to boil (stirring constantly) until thick.  Remove picks from beef and return to gray, heat through.

*I use Bob's Red Mill brand that they sell at most grocery stores.  It is used as a gluten and starch free thickener.  The same result can be achieved with cornstarch, but it's just better to stay away from corn products if you can.  If you think I'm crazy for making that statement, just give me a call or send me an email, and I will explain why in EXCRUCIATING detail.  Lol!