Braised Wild Rabbit with Glazed Apples, Bacon and Shallots paleo dinner recipe winter-min

Recipe: Braised Wild Rabbit with Glazed Apples, Bacon and Shallots

Many people are put off eating rabbit because they are, let’s face it, incredibly cute. However, wild rabbit is one of the most sustainable meats you can buy, and you can guarantee it will have enjoyed a diet free of GM foods and artificial hormones. When simmered in a flavoursome liquid, it becomes incredibly tender. And who doesn’t love smoky bacon and sticky, caramelised apples to go with it? Feel free to add some root vegetables into the pot with your rabbit to enhance the flavour – carrots, swede and parsnips would all work.

Recipe: Braised Wild Rabbit with Glazed Apples, Bacon and Shallots
 
Author: 
Recipe type: Dinner
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Ingredients
  • One large rabbit, jointed and chopped into 5cm dice
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil
  • 200ml apple juice
  • 250ml home made chicken stock
  • Few sprigs fresh thyme
  • Few sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 200g smoky bacon
  • 4 medium shallots, chopped
  • 2 large apples, chopped into wedges
  • Pinch cinnamon
Instructions
  1. Heat the coconut oil in a casserole dish. Add the rabbit, and cook for 5 minutes or so until browned. Pour in the apple juice and stock, before adding the thyme, rosemary and bay. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for an hour.
  2. minutes before serving, heat a little extra coconut oil in a frying pan. Add the bacon and cook for a couple of minutes until it starts to release its fat. Add the shallots and apples, a sauté for a further 7 or 8 minutes until sticky and caramelised. Finish with a good pinch of cinnamon, and serve alongside the rabbit.

Braised Wild Rabbit with Glazed Apples, Bacon and Shallots paleo dinner recipe winter-min

Recipe paleo Potato free Aloo Gobi indian side dish-min

Recipe: Potato free Aloo Gobi

What’s your favourite part of Aloo Gobi? Is it the blend of warming, aromatic spices? Perhaps the crispness of the cauliflower? Whatever it is, I’d guess it’s certainly not the potatoes. Whether you’re avoiding potatoes because they’re a nightshade, or you just don’t care for the insulin spike, you won’t miss them in this adapted Aloo Gobi. Double the cauliflower just means double the goodness – enjoy! Another example of a dish where white potatoes just really aren't necessary!

Recipe: Potato free Aloo Gobi
 
Author: 
Recipe type: Sides
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Ingredients
  • 1 large cauliflower, roughly chopped
  • 1 tsp coconut oil
  • 1 red onion, finely sliced
  • 1 tsp black mustard seeds
  • 1 tsp nigella seeds
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • Handful cashew nuts, chopped
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric
  • 3 red chillies, deseeded and chopped
  • ½ cup full fat coconut milk
  • Large handful of Coriander
Instructions
  1. Bring some water in a large saucepan to a boil. Submerge the cauliflower and cook for about two minutes, until slightly softened. Drain and set to one side.
  2. Heat the coconut oil in a large, heavy based pan (I use cast iron). Add the sliced onion, mustard seeds, nigella seeds and cumin seeds, and toss together for two or three minutes.
  3. Add the cauliflower to the pan, along with the cashew nuts, and cook for a further couple of minutes until they are both golden. Toss in the turmeric and chilli.
  4. Add the coconut milk to the pan. Continue to stir the contents for 5 minutes or so, until most of the liquid has been absorbed by the cauliflower. Serve immediately, garnished with fresh coriander.

What's your favourite Indian dish? Have you tried making a paleo version. Many Indian dishes are naturally paleo – and even tend to use Ghee as the fat of choice – perfect!

Recipe paleo Potato free Aloo Gobi indian side dish-min

Spicy Tilapia Fishcakes with a Crispy Coconut Coating paleo recipe dinner lunch-min

Recipe: Spicy Tilapia Fishcakes with a Crispy Coconut Coating

Have you tried Tilapia? I’ll admit, I don’t have good memories of fishcakes. Growing up, when someone said fishcake I would think of a soggy, batter coated starch ball with a slightly past its best fishy flavour. After eating clean for so long, I can’t imagine ever going near one of those again, but I thought it would be a great idea to recreate them into something much more appetising.

I was thrilled with how these turned out; the tilapia is mild flavoured and works extremely well with the sweet potato and chilli. The coating turns crispy and golden rather than soggy, whilst the inside remains fluffy. Try them – this is what fish cakes should taste like!

Recipe: Spicy Tilapia Fishcakes with a Crispy Coconut Coating
 
Author: 
Recipe type: Dinner
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Ingredients
  • 500g tilapia fillets
  • Half can coconut milk
  • 500g sweet potatoes, diced
  • Zest 1 lime
  • 2 red chilli peppers, deseeded and finely chopped
  • Chunk fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
  • 4 spring onions, finely chopped
  • Sea salt and black pepper
  • 2 large eggs
  • 50g ground almonds
  • 50g desiccated coconut
  • 1 tbsp coconut flour
  • Coconut oil
Instructions
  1. Submerge the tilapia fillets in a saucepan with the coconut milk and just enough additional water to cover them. Bring to the boil, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes so that the fish is just cooked.
  2. Steam the sweet potatoes for 7 or 8 minutes, until soft. Mash in a bowl, before stirring in the chilli, ginger and spring onions. Add the fish and the coconut milk, before mashing again and seasoning to taste.
  3. Beat the two eggs together in a shallow dish. In a separate bowl, combine the ground almonds, desiccated coconut and coconut flour. You should now have three dishes arranged side by side – the mashed fishcake contents, the beaten eggs, and the coating.
  4. Roll the fishcake mixture into balls in your palm. One by one, coat lightly with the beaten egg, before rolling them in the almond and coconut mixture. Set aside.
  5. When ready to cook, heat a little coconut oil in a large, heavy based pan. Carefully place the fishcakes into the pan, and cook for 3 or 4 minutes each side until crisp and golden.

Spicy Tilapia Fishcakes with a Crispy Coconut Coating paleo recipe dinner lunch-min

Furious Furikake Chilli Beef Hash paleo recipe-min

Recipe: Furious Furikake Chilli Beef Hash

Furikake. If you’ve never tried it before, now is the time to get this Unami boosting Japanese condiment in your life. It’s made with a base of black sesame seeds and seaweed, and some versions include ground fish and / or chilli. Some cheaper versions also include a few more untoward ingredients, so make sure you check the label.

The recipe itself is the perfect option for those evenings when you have a million and one other things to do and hardly any time to spend in the kitchen – hence the ‘furious’ title. Thanks to the furikake, the flavour:time ratio is sky high. Take it from pan to plate in 10 minutes, relax and chow down. Furiously.

Recipe: Furious Furikake Chilli Beef Hash
 
Author: 
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Ingredients
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 white onion, sliced finely
  • 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
  • 3cm fresh ginger, finely chopped
  • 1 green chilli, deseeded and chopped
  • 400g grass fed ground beef
  • 1 tbsp black pepper
  • 2 medium courgettes
  • 1 large sweet potato, precooked
  • Large handful fresh coriander
  • Juice half a lime
  • 1 tsp fish sauce
  • 4 tbsp furikake
Instructions
  1. Heat the coconut oil in your largest frying pan. Add the onions and cook for 2 or 3 minutes until soft. Add the garlic, ginger and chilli, and fry for a further couple of minutes.
  2. Add the ground beef to the pan, season with the pepper and mix well. Grate the courgette, and peel and mash the sweet potato, before adding them both to the mix. Cook for around 3 minutes, until the sweet potato is reheated and the beef cooked through.
  3. Add a generous amount of coriander to the pan, along with the lime juice and fish sauce. Stir well, before serving on a bed of spinach and sprinkling with a large helping of furikake.

 

Furious Furikake Chilli Beef Hash paleo recipe-min

Paleo Network Recipe SPINACH, MACKEREL RED CAPSICUM FRITTATA-min

Recipe: Spinach, Mackerel and Red Capsicum Frittata

Eggs really do make the best breakfasts, but sometimes it’s all too easy to get stuck in a rut by cooking them the same way every morning. Mix things up by giving this frittata a try – it's quick, nutrient dense and super tasty. A perfect way to start your day; with a delicious combination of protein, healthy fats and brightly coloured vegetables!

I’ve used baby leaf spinach in this recipe because I love its mild, creamy flavour – but any kind of spinach will do. I’ve also gone for smoked mackerel, but fresh would be equally delicious if you’re not in a rush.

Paleo Network Recipe SPINACH, MACKEREL RED CAPSICUM FRITTATA-min

Red Capsisum Frittata Ingredients:

  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 tsp coconut oil
  • ½ red pepper, deseeded and diced
  • 1 handful baby leaf spinach
  • 1 fillet (roughly 80g) smoked mackerel
  • Salt and pepper

 Red Capsisum Frittata How To:

1)    Beat the eggs in a large bowl and set aside. Preheat your grill to high.

2)    Heat the coconut oil to a medium heat in a heavy based frying pan. Throw in the diced red pepper and fry for a minute or two until softened. Add the spinach to the pan and cook for 30 seconds – just enough to wilt it – before transferring the contents of the pan into the bowl of beaten eggs. Mix well, before flaking in the Mackerel and adding a little seasoning.

3)    Return the pan to a high heat, then add the frittata mixture. Cook for 3 – 4 minutes on one side, before checking the bottom with a spatula to make sure it’s a good colour underneath.

4)    Now is the crucial part to gain that fluffy ‘soufflé’ like texture that is so important in a good frittata. Place the whole pan under the grill for a couple of minutes, so that it starts to rise. When it stops bubbling and is well risen, turn off the grill, remove the pan and fold over the frittata. The result? The crispest yet fluffiest omelette you will ever have eaten.

Sirloin Steak with Chimchurri Sauce and Caramelised Onions paleo recipe dinner grass fed beef-min

Recipe: Sirloin Steak with Chimchurri Sauce and Caramelised Onions

Let’s face it – there’s nothing better than a tender, succulent piece of grass fed steak. My particular favourite is a dry aged sirloin, but I also love fillet and porterhouse on special occasions. If you've never heard of it before, Chimchurri sauce is an Argentinian recipe made from a blend of olive oil, garlic and herbs – the South American version of pesto. It’s perfect for steak, but works well with fish and chicken too. The caremelised onions in this recipe add a real depth of flavour and complement both the steak and the Chimchurri effortlessly.

Serves 2

Sirloin Steak Ingredients:

  • 2 sirloin steaks (ideally grass fed, even better if they’re aged for around 28 days) – approximately 200g and 1 – 1.5cm thick
  • Sea salt, 1 clove garlic, plenty of freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  •  1 large red onion, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil

 For the Chimchurri:

  •  1 cup fresh parsley
  • 1 cup fresh coriander
  • ¼ cup fresh oregano
  • 4 cloves garlic, crushed
  • Juice 1 lime
  • 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • 1 hot red pepper (I used a jalapeno), deseeded and finely chopped

 Sirloin Steak How To:

1)    An hour before cooking, marinade the steak by crushing the garlic clove in a mortar and pestle and mixing it with a little olive oil, salt and pepper to make a paste. Rub this well into the meat, and then leave the steak at room temperature.

2)    To make the caramelised onions, gently heat 1tbsp coconut oil in a heavy based saucepan. Add the onions to the pan, and leave to cook very slowly for at least half an hour – this brings out the natural sweetness. Stir regularly, and season with a little salt and pepper along the way.

3)    Meanwhile, make the Chimchurri by blending all the ingredients apart from the olive oil and hot pepper in your food processor. Transfer this to a sauce bowl, then stir in the olive oil. Finish with the red pepper, if using.

4)    To cook the steaks, heat the coconut oil in a large frying pan over the highest heat. Sizzle for a minute each side for rare, then serve and leave to rest for 5 minutes before eating. Serve topped with the caramelised onions and with the Chimchurri on the side.

Sirloin Steak with Chimchurri Sauce and Caramelised Onions paleo recipe dinner grass fed beef-min

Poached Beef Tongue paleo recipe dinner lunch-min

Recipe: Poached Beef Tongue with a Fresh Herby Salad

Beef tongue is one of those wonderful cuts of offal that, with just a little love and careful attention, can be transformed from butcher’s cast off to a tender, delicious and incredibly cheap source of protein, zinc, and vitamin B12. It is considered a delicacy in many traditional cultures, and is widely renowned as one of the most flavourful cuts of beef.

To cook my beef tongue, I simmered it in the pot with veggies and herbs for 3 hours to make it ultra-flavoursome and tender. I’d definitely recommend cooking it for as long as you can, perhaps even in the slow cooker. One tongue comfortably serves two people, with leftovers!

Beef Tongue Ingredients:

  • 1 Beef Tongue, cleaned and prepared (ask your butcher)
  • 2 White Onions, Diced
  • 4 cloves of garlic, peeled and left whole
  • 2 Carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 2 Bay leaves
  • 1 Star Anise
  • Approx 1 litre beef stock / broth

For the salad:

  • 1 large handful spinach
  • 1 large handful rocket
  • 1 small handful fresh parsley, finely chopped
  • 1 small handful fresh coriander, finely chopped
  • 8 spring onions, diced
  • Juice half a lemon
  • Quarter cup of olive oil

Beef Tongue How To:

1)    Add all of the ingredients (except the salad) to your stock pot. Bring to the boil, before covering and leaving to simmer for around 3 hours. Check every so often and top up with a little hot water if necessary.

2)    Make the salad by throwing together all of the greens and herbs with the spring onions. Divide into two separate bowls.

3)    Drain the contents of the pot, reserving a couple of tablespoons of the liquid. Place the tongue on a chopping board, before slitting the outer membrane and peeling it off. Slice thinly and add to the green salad, along with the vegetables from the pot.

4)    Whizz together the reserved liquid, lemon juice and olive oil. Drizzle liberally over the salad before tucking in.

Poached Beef Tongue paleo recipe dinner lunch-min

Paleo recipe Texan Style Sweet Potato and Bison Burgers beef grass fed-min

Recipe: Texan Style Sweet Potato and Bison Burgers

As you may already know, I’m a MASSIVE fan of cooking with Bison. I find it has a richer taste than beef, and for that reason it pairs exceptionally well with smoky flavours like bacon and paprika. You’ll find them all, and more, in these delicious burgers; and best of all, you’ll have them on the table in less than 15 minutes. I served mine in my favourite lettuce leaf ‘bun’ with a fried egg and some extra crispy onions – delicious!

Bison Burgers Ingredients:

  •  1tbsp coconut oil, + extra for frying
  • 1 large red onion, finely diced
  • 2 fat cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  • 6 – 8 button mushrooms, finely diced
  • 4 rashers smoked bacon, chopped
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp cumin
  • ½ tsp oregano
  • Pinch of salt and pepper
  • 500g bison mince
  • 1 medium sweet potato, grated
  • 1 egg, beaten

 Bison Burgers How To:

1)    Gently heat your coconut oil in a frying pan, before adding the diced red onion. Cook for 5 minutes, to soften, before adding the garlic and cooking for an extra couple of minutes.

2)    Add the mushrooms and bacon to the pan and cook for a minute or so, until the mushrooms begin to reduce in size. Add the spices to the pan, and give the contents a good stir so that the flavours combine well, before transferring the contents into a large mixing bowl.

3)    Add the bison, sweet potato and egg to the bowl, and mix well with your hands. Form the ingredients into 8 – 10 palm sized balls. Keep in the fridge ready for when you want to cook them.

4)    When you want to cook your burgers, simply heat some coconut oil to a medium heat in a frying pan. Depending on the size of your pan, you’ll have to cook the burgers in batches – just ensure there is adequate space between each one, as they’ll get wider as you cook. Fry for 5 – 6 minutes on each side, gently pressing with the side of a spatula to iron them into a more conventional burger shape. Alternatively, they taste even better on the bbq!

Paleo recipe Texan Style Sweet Potato and Bison Burgers beef grass fed-min

Cinnamon and molasses flax cookies paleo recipe dessert sugar free gluten free dessert-min

Recipe: Cinnamon and molasses flax cookies

Cinnamon and molasses flax cookies – the name says it all doesn’t it? These paleo treats are warming and lightly spiced, with a melt in the mouth texture. The molasses and flax work together in this recipe to bind the cookie dough, so no eggs are needed. Best of all, they are ready in less than 15 minutes!

Makes 6 cookies

Cinnamon and molasses flax cookies Ingredients:

  • 1 cup ground almonds
  • 2 tbsp ground flaxseed
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp baking powder
  • Pinch sea salt
  • ¼ tsp ginger (optional)
  • 1 large tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 tbsp blackstrap molasses
  • 1 tbsp coconut sugar + 1 tsp cinnamon, to coat

Cinnamon and molasses flax cookies How To:

1)    Preheat your oven to 160C / 325F / Gas mark 3. Line a baking tray with some parchment paper and set aside.

2)    In a mixing bowl, combine the ground almonds, flaxseed, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, and ginger (if using). Then add the coconut oil and molasses, and mix well. This is best done using a stand alone mixer, but if you don’t have one, your hands will be just as good. Just be sure that all ingredients are thoroughly combined. The dough will be relatively sticky, but still workable.

3)    In a separate bowl, combine the coconut sugar and cinnamon. Using your hands, roll the cookie dough into golf ball sized shapes, then coat evenly with the cinnamon and coconut sugar mixture. Lay out on the baking tray, and flatten slightly.

4)    Bake for 8 – 10 minutes, then remove from the oven. Leave to cool for 5 minutes before serving – these are best eaten straight away but keep for up to a week.

Cinnamon and molasses flax cookies paleo recipe dessert sugar free gluten free dessert-min

Paleo recipe Shredded Chicken with Courgette Ribbons, Kalamata Olives, Sundried Tomatoes and Lemon dinner lunch-min

Recipe: Shredded Chicken with Courgette Ribbons, Kalamata Olives, Sundried Tomatoes and Lemon

There are plenty of reasons I love this recipe, but there are two that stand out way above the rest. Firstly, it's ready in under 5 minutes, and secondly, it looks like it’s taken you all day! It’s perfect for summer BBQs where you’d much rather be spending your time with friends and family rather than in the kitchen peeling more vegetables or prepping more salad. The contrast in colours and shapes on the table make it a visually stunning dish – and it’s super tasty too!

Serves 4

Shredded Chicken Ingredients:

  • ½ medium chicken, pre roasted and cooled
  • 4 large zuchini/ courgettes
  • A large handful Kalamata (or any other meaty black olives), roughly chopped
  • 6 – 8 Sundried tomatoes, roughly chopped
  • Juice and zest 2 lemons
  • A good splash olive oil
  • 1 tsp raw honey
  • A small handful fresh basil, finely chopped
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Shredded Chicken How To:

1)    Using a fork, finely shred half of the chicken, leaving the other half to snack on later! Set aside.

2)    Using a vegetable peeler, ribbon the courgettes lengthways. Work your way around the vegetable and into the middle, to create elegant spirals. Transfer to a large salad bowl and combine with the chicken. Mix in the olives and sundried tomatoes.

3)    Sprinkle the lemon zest over the salad before squeezing over the juice. Combine the olive oil with the raw honey (to cut the acidity of the lemons and the olives) before drizzling over the salad. Toss well, before adding your chopped herbs and seasoning to taste.

Paleo recipe Shredded Chicken with Courgette Ribbons, Kalamata Olives, Sundried Tomatoes and Lemon dinner lunch-min