How To Make Perfect Pork Crackling rind scratchings recipe-min

Recipe: How To Make Perfect Pork Crackling

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I love Pork Crackling (which you may know as Pork Rinds or Pork Scratchings, depending on where you’re from). But it’s often a disappointment, either soft and underdone, or burn and completely wasted! But when it’s crunch and crackly, it is so good.

Pork crackling is obviously mainly fat, which makes it the perfect Paleo snack. Just a small amount is extremely satiating, so you can easily cook enough to last for many servings. Whilst you can buy them, one look at the ingredients (not to mention the uncertainty about the quality of the pork used) will probably tell you to get in the kitchen and make your own!

I’ve been trying to work out the best way to get perfect Pork crackling, which I’ll share with you below.
Firstly with Pork, perhaps more so than any other meat, quality really counts. I always go for Pasture Raised* pork and am careful to buy the best quality I can. If I could only buy one type of meat organic and pasture raised, without doubt I would choose pork.

You can use a few different cuts, blade or a roasting joint work well, but my favourite is Pork belly.
How To Make Perfect Pork Crackling rind scratchings recipe-min

How To Make Perfect Pork Crackling:

Dry the skin thoroughly (use a paper towel).

With a sharp knife, score the skin, leaving the cuts about a finger width apart. Go for either diagonal stripes, or make a diamond pattern. Make sure you score through the skin, but not through to the meat.

This might sound odd, but pour boiling water over the skin – and don’t panic about the fact it doesn’t make it look good.

Dry the skin thoroughly once more, then rub sea salt into it (I tend to use Himalayan or Celtic sea salt). Make sure the salt gets right through, into the cracks. Some people add oil here, but I’ve had great results without, so don’t.

If you can, leave the salted pork in the fridge overnight.

When ready to cook, add more salt to the skin and cook in a very hot oven for about 15 minutes per kilo. I start at 180C, the in the last 15 minutes of cooking, turn the oven up to about 240C.

Please share your tips below, I know almost everyone seems to have a slightly technique.

*Pigs will tend to eat lots of different foods – not just grass, which is why grass-fed isn’t a term used to refer to pork and other pig related products. “Pasture raised” means they’ve been raised to eat their natural diet, which may include whatever they find as they roam about the pasture – grass, bugs, corn, fruit, veggies, weeds etc.
Recipe The Paleo Diet Kimchi Korean fermented-min

Recipe: Paleo Kimchi

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I hadn’t had Kimchi until I moved to Australia and ventured to some Korean barbeque restaurants. Not only does it taste amazing, as a fermented food, Kimchi is really good for gut health – a great inclusion in a Paleo diet.

One of my New Years resolutions this year was to eat more fermented food, so after coming up with a good Kombucha recipe – it was time to get experimenting with Kimchi.

This is how I made my batch of Kimchi. I’d love to hear how you make yours – and what other fermented food you include in your diet. Let me know in the comments below!

Kimchi Ingredients

  • 1 large Chinese cabbage
  • 4 litres (1 gallon) of water
  • 100g (1/2 cup) of Celtic sea salt (though any salt would be fine)
  • One clove of garlic, peeled and crushed
  • One 6cm (2 inch) strip of ginger, peeled and grated
  • 100ml (1/2 cup) Korean chilli powder (I found this in an Asian supermarket)
  • Dash of coconut aminos
  • Small bunch of spring onions, cut into strips
  • 1 radish, peeled and grated
  • 1 teaspoon of honey (this is needed to get the fermentation going – and the duration of the fermentation determines how much sugar remains in the end product)

How To Make Kimchi

Chop the cabbage into rough pieces, discarding the tough stem.

In a large bowl or stock pot, fully dissolve the salt in the water. Once dissolved, immerse the cabbage pieces in the water, using a plate to keep them submerged. Keep the cabbage underwater for two hours.

In another mixing bowl, mix together all of the other ingredients.

Once the cabbage has been underwater for two hours, remove it, drain it, rinse the salt water off and dry it thoroughly.

Now, mix all of the ingredients together.

Spoon the Kimchi into a clean glass jar and cover it firmly. Keeping the jar in a cool dry place, leave it alone for two days.

After a day or two, check the Kimchi. If it is bubbling, it is ready and can be eaten – or stored in the fridge. If not, it’s not quite ready, so leave it for another day and check again.

When it’s ready make sure you store it in the fridge. I’m sure there won’t be any left after a few days – but it’s best to eat it within two or three weeks before it becomes “too” fermented!

Recipe The Paleo Diet Kimchi Korean fermented-min

Enjoy!

Nasi Goreng recipe Indonesian Fried Rice Bali Java Primal Diet-min

Recipe: Nasi Goreng

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In Indonesia Nasi Goreng is the national dish, appearing in every restaurant and food stall. Nasi means rice and Goreng is fried, so it is literally Fried Rice. Whilst everyone has their own take on Nasi Goreng, the flavours are fantastic, so I was keen to recreate a Paleo version of this dish when I got home from my trip. Obviously the first thing to change is the rice!

Nasi Goreng Ingredients
Sauce:

• Pinch of black peppercorns
• Pinch of nutmeg
• 8 macadamia nuts
• 1 small onion, peeled, roughly chopped
• 3cm (1 inch) fresh ginger, peeled, chopped
• Pinch of ground turmeric
• lemongrass stalks, outer leaves removed, core chopped
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 2 chilli peppers, seeds removed, roughly chopped
• Pinch sea salt (I’m using Celtic sea salt)
• Spoonful of coconut oil (virgin, unrefined)
• ¼ lime, juice only

Rice (Nasi):

• Spoonful of coconut oil
• 4 onions, diced
• Sea salt, to taste
• 300g (11oz) pre cooked cauliflower rice
• ½ litre (20oz) water
• 1 bulb garlic, peeled, finely chopped
• 3 chillies, seeds removed, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, peeled, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 250g (10oz) leftover diced chicken (cooked)
• Splash of coconut aminos
• 6 spring onions, trimmed, thinly sliced

Serve With:

• Dash of coconut oil
• 4 large free-range eggs
• ¼ cucumber, sliced
• 2 tomatoes, sliced

How To

In a pestle and mortar (or food processor if you have one), grind the peppercorns, nutmeg and macadamias until they form a powder. Add the remaining sauce ingredients and blend until they form a smooth paste.

Heat the coconut oil in a medium pan and fry the onions until they turn golden. Season, then remove from the pan.

Make the cauliflower rice and transfer onto a baking tray to cool.

Heat some more coconut oil in the pan and add the remaining onions, garlic, chillis and carrots. Stir fry until the carrot starts to become tender.

Add the sauce into the pan and stir for a minute. Add in the tomato paste and heat through for a final minute.

Into the pan, add the cooked chicken and cauliflower rice, and stir until it is thoroughly heated through. Finally, add in the coconut aminos and spring onions and mix in well. Take off the heat and keep warm.

Fry the eggs in coconut oil.

Dish the Nasi Goreng and top with the fried eggs. Finish with a side of tomatoes and cucumbers.

Enjoy!

Nasi Goreng recipe Indonesian Fried Rice Bali Java Primal Diet-min

Paleo tomato ketchup sauce red recipe primal diet

Recipe: Paleo Tomato Ketchup

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It is so hard to find a tomato ketchup recipe that doesn't add in lots of sugar! Finally with a lot of tweaking, I’ve come up with my favourite Paleo tomato sauce recipe. A home made burger just isn't the same without tomato ketchup.

Paleo Tomato Ketchup Ingredients:

  • 15 Medium Tomatoes
  • 2 Onions, Chopped and Fried in Coconut Oil
  • 4 Garlic Cloves, Crushed and Fried in Coconut Oil
  • 1 Red Capsicum (Bell Pepper)
  • 100ml (4floz) Red Wine Vinegar
  • 1 Teaspoon Celtic Sea Salt
  • 1 Teaspoon Paprkia
  • Pinch Cayenne Pepper
  • 1 Teaspoon Mustard Seeds
  • 1 Teaspoon Black Peppercorns
  • 6 Cloves
  • 3cm (1 inch) Peeled & Chopped Ginger

Paleo Tomato Ketchup How To:

Chop up the tomatoes and capsicum and along with the onion and garlic, bring to the boil in a pan of the red wine vinegar.

Stir occasionally, allow the mixture to reduce to a thicker consitancy.

Remove from the heat and puree in a blender to your desired level of smoothness, before returning to the pan over the heat.

In some muslin or a tea strainer, add the seeds, peppercorns, cloves and ginger and add to the pan.

Reduce the heat to simmer and cover until it thickens up to your liking.

Once ready, remove the muslin or strainer and bottle the ketchup and store in the fridge.

I’d love to hear how you make ketchup? What do you do differently?

Paleo tomato ketchup sauce red recipe primal diet

paleo Breakfast Recipe Haddock Omelette primal eggs idea-min

Paleo Breakfast Recipe: Haddock Omelette

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I thought I'd share another recipe from my Paleo breakfast Recipe Book today. I love this recipe as it's quick and easy not to mention a great way to get some extra Omega 3 into your diet.

Breakfast Ingredients:

• 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and roughly cubed
• 300g (10oz) smoked haddock fillet
• coconut oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 5 free-range eggs
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 30g (2 tablespoons) chopped fresh chives

 

Breakfast How To:

Cook the sweet potatoes in a pan of boiling water.

After five minutes, add the fish to the pan.

Once the sweet potatoes are tender, drain the potatoes and fish, and set aside.

Heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat and sauté the onion until they become soft and translucent.

Once the fish and potatoes have cooled enough to handle, flake the fish into smaller pieces and remove any skin and bones.

In a bowl, beat the eggs, season and add the chives, potatoes and fish.

Pour the mixture back into the pan with the onions and cook over a medium heat for a few minutes until the omelette is set.

Cut the omelette into slices and serve warm. Alternatively, this can be made in advance, stored in the fridge and enjoyed cold.

If you enjoyed this recipe, check out my Paleo Breakfast Recipe Book. With over 100 pages of breakfast recipes for every sitatuon (even sections on egg-free recipes, child friendly recipes, vegetarian and no-time breakfasts), there is something for everyone!

paleo Breakfast Recipe Haddock Omelette primal eggs idea-min

 

Paleo mayonnaise recipe primal homemade-min

Paleo Mayonnaise Recipe

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Have you looked at the ingredients on a bottle of shop-bought mayonnaise? It’s not pleasant. This is fairly typical…

SAD Mayonnaise Ingredients:

Sunflower oil (antioxidant [320], water, cane sugar, whole egg, white vinegar, malt vinegar (barley & wheat), salt, vegetable gums (405, 415), food acid (citric), natural colour (carrot extract), flavour.

But did you know how easy it is to make your own?

Paleo mayonnaise recipe primal homemade-min

Paleo Mayonnaise Recipe

Ingredients

  • 3 egg yolks (at room temperature)
  • 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 200ml extra light olive oil
  • Pinch sea salt

Method

In a blender combine the egg yolks, vinegar and mustard and blend until the mixture begins to thicken.

Slowly add in the oil, until the mixture is light and creamy. Don’t rush this step; if the mixture separates you’ll have to start again!

Add in the salt, and season to your liking.

Which are your favourite sauces? I’d love to hear which sauces you make regularly.

Salt & Vinegar Kale Chips paleo recipe crisps-min

Recipe: Salt & Vinegar Kale Chips

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I finally found some Kale locally and after hearing so many great reports about Kale Chips, thought I'd make my own.

I used to love Salt & Vinegar chips (or crisps as they're known in the UK), so thought I'd attempt a Paleo equivalent.

Ingredients

  • A few leaves of kale
  • Olive oil
  • Salt
  • Vinegar

Method

  • I preheated the over to 175C (350F)
  • I washed the kale and tore it off the steam, into small pieces. I then dried it thoroughly using a clean tea towel to make sure there was no water left.
  • I arranged the kale on a baking tray and coated with olive oil before putting into the oven
  • I kept an eye on the kale and after ten minutes removed from the oven.
  • Finally, I seasoned with the salt and a small amount of vinegar.

This was incredibly easy – and had the crunchy texture of crisps. A perfect Paleo snack!

Have you tried Kale chips? How do you make yours?

Salt & Vinegar Kale Chips paleo recipe crisps-min

Paleo recipe Quick & Easy Chicken Curry Indian-min

Recipe: Quick & Easy Chicken Curry

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This is one of my favourite dishes to make, some chicken, a few veggies and some coconut cream are all that's needed to make this dish. I always make a big batch to give leftovers for a few days – and another lunch option to take into work. This curry is great served with a side of Paleo cauliflower rice.

I used to make this with coconut milk, but I now use coconut cream as it's exactly the same – just not watered down. There are lots of different brands of coconut cream, but my favourite is Ayam. This brand contains just coconut and not guar gum and the other additives which many brands have.

Ingredients:

  • Coconut oil
  • 2 onions
  • Two free range chicken breasts (organic if possible)
  • 2 cans of coconut cream
  • 6 mushrooms
  • Zucchini
  • Carrot
  • Raisins
  • 1.5 teaspoons of ginger
  • 1.5 teaspoons of curry powder
  • Sea salt to taste

Method:

Dice the onions and fry in a pan in some coconut oil over a medium heat.

Meanwhile slice the chicken into strips and add to the pan once the onions turn soft.

Dice the mushrooms, zucchini, carrot and raisins.

Once the chicken is cooked thoroughly add in the coconut cream and water as necessary

Add in the vegetables, spices and season to taste.

Allow the curry to simmer for 20 minutes or so, until cooked, then serve with a side of cauliflower rice.

Paleo recipe Quick & Easy Chicken Curry Indian-min

paleo cauliflower rice recipe primal diet-min

Recipe: Cauliflower Rice

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Rice is a great side for many meals – but why have the grain rice, when you can have a far more nutritious Paleo alternative? This recipe is quick and easy and can be varied by using different herbs and spices. You can also stir in an egg whilst cooking, to make an egg fried rice; or make it a dish in it's own right by adding more vegetables such as capsicum (bell peppers) and zucchini.

This rice is so good, I've served it up many times without people even realising it isn't “normal” rice!

Ingredients:

  • Half a cauliflower
  • Half an onion
  • Coconut oil
  • Pinch cumin
  • Pinch paprika
  • Pinch cayenne pepper
  • Sea salt to taste

Method:

Grate the cauliflower florets by hand, or in a food processor, until the consistency resembles rice.

Dice the onion into small pieces and fry in olive oil over a medium heat

Once the onion starts to turn golden add the grated cauliflower and spices and stir for a few moments ensuring it doesn't burn. Add more oil if necessary.

Serve and enjoy! You can also make extra to store in the fridge, ready to be reheated with dinner.

How do you make cauliflower rice? Or perhaps you make a rice alternative using something other than cauliflower? Do share, in the comments below.

paleo cauliflower rice recipe primal diet-min

Paleo green smoothie recipe juice diet-min

Recipe: Green Smoothie

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Now we’re coming into summer, it’s a great time to enjoy an ice cold Paleo Smoothie. Instead of relying on fruit, it’s far better to make green smoothies using vegetables.

Almond butter and coconut milk are great ways to add in some good fat.

Paleo green smoothie recipe juice diet-min

Recipe: Green Smoothie
Recipe type: Drinks
Prep time: 
Total time: 
Print
A delicious way of getting some sneaky green goodness into your diet
Ingredients
  • 1 frozen banana
  • 8 frozen strawberries
  • 30g (2 tablespoons) almond butter
  • 250ml (1 cup) coconut milk
  • 250g (2 cups) spinach
Instructions
  1. Freeze a (peeled) banana and some strawberries overnight in the freezer.
  2. Put the bananas, strawberries, almond butter and coconut milk in the blender.
  3. Fill the rest of the blender with spinach (kale would also work well, if you can get hold of it!)
  4. Blend, and enjoy!

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Do you often make smoothies? What are your favourite ingredients? Share in the comments below.