Paleo recipe dinner On the Side Broccoli with Garlic, Chilli and Cashews-min

Recipe: On the Side Broccoli with Garlic, Chilli and Cashews

As the name suggests, this super quick and healthy broccoli makes a great side dish to just about anything. It's even great to have as a mid afternoon pick me up or an evening snack  – so make sure you make plenty!

If you haven’t used it before, coconut aminos is a great paleo alternative to soy sauce, and for that reason I’ve included it in this recipe to give a real depth of flavour.

Broccoli Ingredients:

  • 500g broccoli
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 2 red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 handful cashews
  • Juice of a lime
  • A splash of coconut aminos

Broccoli How To:

1)     In a frying pan, add the garlic, chilli and olive oil and bring to a medium heat. Fry until golden and slightly soft, taking care not to burn,

2)     Cut the broccoli into medium sized florets. Add to the pan along with the cashews, and coat well with the chilli and garlic oil.

3)     Add your coconut aminos, stir, then simmer for 3 – 4 minutes. Finally, add a squeeze of lime, stir again, then serve.

Paleo recipe dinner On the Side Broccoli with Garlic, Chilli and Cashews-min

DIY Mackerel Ceviche with Rocket paleo recipe-min

Recipe: DIY Mackerel Ceviche with Rocket

If you’ve never tried ceviche before, then what better way to start by doing it yourself! Contrary to popular belief, it's easy to do. The fish cooks in the chemicals from the acid, so is not ‘raw’ like sushi. Even still, grab yourself super fresh mackerel for this one, it will make all the difference.

DIY Mackerel Ceviche Ingredients:

  • 2 large mackerel fillets
  • Juice of 1 large lime
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
  • 2 spring onions, trimmed and finely chopped
  • Sea Salt
  • Black Pepper
  • A handful fresh rocket

DIY Mackerel Ceviche How To:

Slice the mackerel into thin strips. Place in a resealable plastic bag

Toss in the lime juice, chilli, spring onion and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, and shake well. Allow to stand for 10 minutes.

Remove from the bag and serve with plenty of fresh rocket.

How was your experience of ceviche? Would you do it again?

DIY Mackerel Ceviche with Rocket paleo recipe-min

Guacamole paleo recipe dip sauce avocado primal-min

Recipe: Guacamole Dip

Guacamole is another one of those things that is definitely worth making instead of buying. That way, you can be sure what’s in it – and know that it won’t contain any nasties!

This is how I make mine.

Guacamole Ingredients:

  • 4 chillies, finely sliced
  • Small bunch coriander (cilantro), finely chopped
  • 3 tomatoes, finely diced
  • Sea salt to taste
  • 1 red onion, finely diced
  • Juice of ½ lime
  • 4 ripe avocados

Guacamole How To:

Use a pestle and mortar to grind together the chillies, coriander (cilantro), tomatoes, sea salt and onion, until you reach a paste consistency.

Add the lime juice, and a dash of water if required, to make the mixture more fluid. Finally, mash in the avocados, just before you’re ready to serve!

Guacamole is great with almost any Paleo meal, and a great dip for raw vegetables – particularly alongside some homemade Pâté!

Guacamole is one of those foods best made fresh. It will store in the fridge for a short time, but won't look as appealing! If you need to make it up in advance, using more lime will help it to keep that bit longer.

Do you make your own dips? I’d love to hear what your favourites are, in the comments below!

Guacamole paleo recipe dip sauce avocado primal-min

Recipe paleo hummus houmous chick peas legume free-min

Recipe: Paleo Hummus

Hummus (or houmous, if you prefer) used to be one of my go-to dips before I went paleo. With the main ingredient being mashed chickpeas – yep there’s no doubting that they’re legumes* – it’s most definitely not on the paleo menu. Which is a shame because this Middle Eastern sauce is great as an appetizer or a dip for raw veggies.

Besides, even if it were paleo – have you checked out the ingredients recently? These are the ingredients of two of the popular brands of hommus sold in my local Coles supermarket:

Savion Dairy Hommus Dip

Ingredients: Chickpeas (47%), Sesame Seed Paste (23%), Canola Oil (Antioxidant 320), Lemon Juice (Preservative 202), Water, Salt (Anti-Caking Agent 554), Food Acid (330).

Yumi's Traditional Hommus Dip

IngredientsChick Peas 45%, Water, Vegetable Oil, Sesame Seed Paste, Vinegar, Salt, Garlic, Citric Acid, Preservative (202, 211), Acidity Regulator (575).

Canola oil, vegetable oil and all of those additives and preservatives – no thanks.

Recipe paleo hummus houmous chick peas legume free-min

So what are the options for making a paleo hommus?

Well I've tried with both zucchini and cauliflower – and I like the zucchini best. And it’s great with kale chips.

Recipe: Paleo Hummus
Recipe type: Sides
Prep time: 
Total time: 
Hummus (or houmous, if you prefer) used to be one of my go-to dips before I went paleo. This recipe takes out the chickpeas (no legumes here!) and uses paleo alternatives to make this delicious hummus!
Ingredients
  • 3 small zucchini’s, peeled and roughly chopped
  • Juice of a lemon
  • 50ml (3 tablespoons) Tahini
  • 30ml (2 tablespoons) extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • Sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • Paprika or cut chives, to serve
Instructions
  1. Put the zucchini and lemon in your food processor and blend
  2. Add the tahini, olive oil, cumin, seasoning and garlic. Blend until smooth
  3. Put in the fridge for half an hour or so before serving
  4. Top with paprika or chopped chives, to serve

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*And what’s so wrong with legumes I hear you say? Well legumes contain phytates and lectins which are to be avoided as they inhibit nutrient absorption and cause inflammation.

Recipe Lemony Broccoli paleo network-min

Recipe: Lemony Broccoli

If you're trying to get more greens into your diet (and you should be!) you might as well make sure they taste amazing. I have a lot of broccoli and find it can get a bit samey, so I came up with this recipe to give it a bit of a kick. You can give it an even bigger kick by increasing the amount of chilli you add!

Recipe Lemony Broccoli paleo network-min

Recipe: Lemony Broccoli
 
Author: 
Recipe type: Sides
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
This is a great side dish to make an ingredient that's often not popular, the star of the show!
Ingredients
  • A clove of garlic
  • Pinch sea salt
  • 1½ tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ teaspoons freshly diced chilli (increase for more of a kick!)
  • 1 lemon, juice & zest
  • 150ml (5 floz) hot water
  • 1 handful fresh broccoli
  • Pinch flaked almonds
Instructions
  1. Peel & grind up the garlic and salt using a food processor (or pestle & mortar). Add in a dash of the olive oil and stir the mixture.
  2. Transfer the mixture to a pan and add in the rest of the olive oil and the chilli. Heat over a medium heat and stir until it starts to simmer. Add in the lemon juice and water as necessary to stop it sticking to the pan. Keep the mixture warm over a medium heat.
  3. Steam the broccoli for three minutes until tender.
  4. Dry fry the almonds in a pan until they turn golden.
  5. Combine the broccoli, sauce & lemon zest and top with the almonds.
  6. Serve and enjoy!
Paleo Lunch Box – Prawn, Mango and Spicy Guacamole Collard Wraps recipe-min

Recipe – Paleo Lunch Box – Prawn, Mango and Spicy Guacamole Collard Wraps

If I’m on a day trip and taking a packed lunch, one of my ‘go to’ foods is a Paleo friendly wrap. These ones are collard wraps – which ideally lend themselves to the purpose. Seriously, who needs bread with options like this? They’re easy to make, super portable, and you just can’t beat the combination of flavours and textures that they bring.

The ‘wrap’ itself is just a vehicle to allow you to get the good stuff into your belly, so it doesn’t need to be a health hazard. If anything, swapping a SAD tortilla wrap for a rolled up lettuce or collard leaf improves the flavour and the texture (not to mention the healthiness) of your meal.

 In this recipe, you have savoury, sweet, creamy and spicy all in one neat little package. Enjoy!

Recipe - Paleo Lunch Box – Prawn, Mango and Spicy Guacamole Collard Wraps
 
Author: 
Recipe type: Lunch
Prep time: 
Total time: 
Ingredients
  • 300g cooked and peeled prawns
  • 1 large, ripe mango, diced
  • 10 cherry tomatoes, quartered
  • 1 carrot, grated
  • 2 ripe avocados
  • Zest and juice 1 lime
  • 6 spring onions
  • 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste
  • 4 x large collard leaves
Instructions
  1. In a bowl, toss together the prawns, mango, tomatoes and grated carrot.
  2. In a separate bowl, mash the avocados with the lime, spring onions, chilli and garlic.
  3. Lay the collard leaves out flat on a chopping board. Divide the prawn filling between the four, before slapping on a spoonful of the guacamole on each. Roll the collards up to make wraps, and hold them together by poking in a cocktail stick.

Do you often make paleo friendly wraps for lunch? What is your favourite medium to use for the wraps? Cabbage? Seaweed? Lettuce? Or something else? I'd love to hear!

Paleo Lunch Box – Prawn, Mango and Spicy Guacamole Collard Wraps recipe-min

Paleo Diet Recipe Primal Herby Almond Nut Pâté-min

Recipe: Herby Almond Pâté

Almonds really do have to be one of the most versatile foods in the world, and are life savers for those following a Paleo diet. Whether you use them for Paleo baking as a replacement for flour, or enjoy as a dip for veggies, you may be surprised to know they make a delicious Almond Pâté! Great as a dip for crudités or just on its own as an appetiser.

Herby Almond Pâté Ingredients:

  • 1 cup raw almonds, soaked overnight
  • 50ml olive oil
  • 40ml apple cider vinegar (or 20ml cider vinegar + 20ml lemon juice)
  • 2 cups fresh basil
  • 1 cup fresh parsley
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 2 tbsp raw honey (optional)
  • Good pinch sea salt

Herby Almond Pâté How To:

Drain and rinse the almonds.

Add to the food processor along with all the other ingredients. Blitz until combined – around 30 seconds was plenty for me.

The flavours combined perfectly, but there was still a nice crunch to the Pâté. You could blend for longer if you would prefer it smoother!

Paleo Diet Recipe Primal Herby Almond Nut Pâté-min

chili seasoning mix powder recipe paleo herbs spices primal how to rub

Recipe: Homemade Chili Seasoning Mix

What to do with used glass jars and bottles? How about making up seasoning mixes to give for gifts, or to keep in your own pantry. Stored in a cool dry place, these should last for up to six months.

The chili seasoning mixes in my local supermarket do contain the ingredients you’d expect, like paprika, chili, cumin, oregano, pepper and garlic, but they also contain “Spices” (why not specify which spices? Seems a bit suspicious to me) and” Anti-caking Agent (551)”. Well, I don’t know about you, but I’d rather not consume anti-caking agent.

As well as using better ingredients, it’s also far cheaper to make your own and you can experiment to find your favourite blend.

I’m growing a few different types of pepper in my veggie bed, so when these are ready, I’ll be dehydrating them and adding them to this recipe. In the meantime, I buy ready dried peppers. I’ve got an Indian shop and a much larger Asian supermarket near me, so I tend to try this with a few different varieties of chili peppers. I’ve seen so many varieties – Cayenne, Serrano, Cascabel, Habanero, Tabasco, Poblano, Guajillo, Jolokia, Chipotle, Ancho, Ayenne, Bullseye and Bullhorn – so see what’s available near you and try a few different blends.

Recipe: Homemade Chili Seasoning Mix
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Ingredients
  • 6-8 whole dried peppers of your choice
  • 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon oregeno
  • 1 teaspoon paprika (smoked)
Instructions
  1. In a hot pan, toast the chili peppers for a few minutes, taking care not to allow them to burn. When the smell starts to release, remove them from the pan and allow them to cool.
  2. Toast the cumin seeds in the same pan, again stirring constantly to ensure they don’t burn.
  3. Remove the seeds from the chilli peppers to be used in another recipe. If you want your seasoning extra hot, you may like to add in a few of these seeds.
  4. With a pestle and mortar (if you’re old school, if not, try a blender) grind up the chilli peppers and cumin seeds into a powder.
  5. Add in the remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly.
  6. Make sure you store in an airtight container (like a jar) to keep it dry.
  7. Shake the container before using to ensure thoroughly mixed.
  8. Note: If you want to use fresh chili’s, dry them thoroughly in a dehydrator first, then roast them. It’s essential you ensure they are fully dry first, otherwise your mixture could go mouldy.

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Recipe simple paleo stir fry-min

Recipe: Simple Chicken Stir Fry

Sometimes it's nice to make something simple and easy for dinner. And it doesn't get much easier than a stir fry.

Whilst you can buy packets of ready to use vegetables to throw into a pan – don't do this! Where I live a packet of pre-prepared veggies is upwards of about $7.50 a kilo. Or you can buy your vegetables individually. I get carrots for about $1 a kilo and cabbage for about $3 a head. Cheaper, probably fresher and only the nice bits. The only difference is that the prepacked veg are drier which is better for stir frying. I just use a cheese cloth to remove the excess liquid from my freshly grated veg – and save lots of money in the process.

Recipe simple paleo stir fry-min

 

 

Recipe: Simple Chicken Stir Fry
 
Author: 
Recipe type: Dinner
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Sometimes it’s nice to make something simple and easy for dinner. And it doesn’t get much easier than a stir fry. Whilst you can buy packets of ready to use vegetables to throw into a pan – don’t do this! Where I live a packet of pre-prepared veggies is upwards of about $7.50 a kilo. Or you can buy your vegetables individually. I get carrots for about $1 a kilo and cabbage for about $3 a head. Cheaper, probably fresher and only the nice bits. The only difference is that the prepacked veg are drier which is better for stir frying. I just use a cheese cloth to remove the excess liquid from my freshly grated veg – and save lots of money in the process.
Ingredients
  • Large spoonful of coconut oil
  • Chicken breast (free range, obviously)
  • 2 carrots
  • Half a head of cabbage
  • Dash coconut aminos
  • Sea salt
Instructions
  1. Melt the coconut oil in a pan over a medium heat
  2. Cut up the chicken as you like it (strips or diced) and throw into the pan
  3. Grate the vegetables in a food processor*, or using an old school grater. In a clean tea towel or cheesecloth, wring out the excess liquid. I used cabbage and cauliflower – but throw in whatever you have!
  4. Once the chicken starts to look golden and is cooked through, add in the grated vegetables.
  5. Add the dash of coconut aminos for flavouring and season to your taste. You can also add in some herbs and spices if you want to change it up.
  6. *I usually prepare a lot of veg to take make enough for several meals. If you’ve got the food processor out, you might as well get good use out of it!

Recipe Paleo Deviled Eggs-min

Recipe: Paleo Deviled Eggs

Deviled eggs are so easy to make, but create a big impact. Traditionally, they're made with non-paleo mayonnaise, but with a simple switch to my paleo mayonnaise, they're back on the menu again!

I love devilled eggs as a party food, or just for a snack. Why have hard-boiled eggs, when you can make these?

Recipe Paleo Deviled Eggs-min

 

Recipe: Paleo Deviled Eggs
 
Author: 
Recipe type: Sides
Ingredients
  • 4 free range eggs
  • 2 tablespoons paleo mayonnaise
  • ½ teaspoon mustard powder
  • sea salt and ground pepper
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
Instructions
  1. In a large pan of cold water, add the eggs, then bring to the boil.
  2. Allow the eggs to boil for at least 12 minutes, then cool them quickly by pouring cold water into the pan, allowing the hot water to drain away in the sink.
  3. Remove the eggs and peel the shells off. I find it easiest to lightly smash the eggs on the counter so the whole shell is cracked, then peel off neatly. Be careful to do this cleanly and not damage the egg white.
  4. Using a good sharp knife (be careful!) cut the egg in half lengthways.
  5. Remove the egg yolks and place in a bowl.
  6. Add the mayonnaise, mustard and seasoning to the bowl and mix well.
  7. If you have the skills, transfer the mixture into a piping bag and pipe the mixture back into the egg halves. Otherwise, just spoon it in!
  8. Finally, sprinkle the paprika onto the egg halves to garnish.
  9. Serve and enjoy