Paleo bliss bombs fat 4 ingredients recipe-min

Recipe: 4 Ingredient Paleo Bliss Bombs

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I had a friend coming round yesterday and wanted to make a paleo treat – only problem was I didn't have many ingredients. I've made these paleo treats before, but have always used lots of different ingredients. These came out great – sometimes it's best to keep things simple!

Paleo bliss bombs fat 4 ingredients recipe-min

Recipe: 4 Ingredient Paleo Bliss Bombs
 
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Ingredients
  • Medjool dates (I used about 7)
  • Fresh strawberries (I used 5 as that was all I had!)
  • Almond meal (about 40g)
  • Shredded coconut (a handful)
Instructions
  1. Remove the stones from the dates and de-hull the strawberries.
  2. Put the dates and strawberries into a food processor or blender and whizz them until the form a paste. Add the almond meal and mix again.
  3. Remove the mixture and use your hands to roll into equal size balls.
  4. I rolled some in the shredded coconut and left some coconut-less.

If I'd had the ingredients, I would have put a raspberry or nut in the centre and perhaps mixed some cacao powder in with the mixture.

Do you have a recipe for something similar to these bliss bombs? What do you use in yours?

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Quail’s Eggs, Bacon and Crispy Asparagus paleo recipe breakfast idea-min

Recipe: Quail’s Eggs, Bacon and Crispy Asparagus

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I never thought it would be possible, but sometimes I do get bored of ‘plain’ eggs and bacon for breakfast. A great way to break out of egg monotony is to vary your egg source – duck, goose, bantam and even ostrich eggs are all delicious, but my personal favourite is Quail’s Eggs. They have long been paired with asparagus, and this classic combination gets a twist with some bacon and finely chopped chives and spring onion. A low carb, nutrient dense and delicious start to the day!

Due to their size, it’s a tough job getting Quail’s Eggs just right. Boil them for just two minutes – no longer, before dousing in cold water so they don’t cook any further.

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Recipe: Quail’s Eggs, Bacon and Crispy Asparagus
 
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Recipe type: Breakfast
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Ingredients
  • 1 tsp organic butter, ghee, or coconut oil
  • 4 spears asparagus
  • 4 organic quails eggs
  • 2 rashers organic bacon
  • 1 tsp fresh chives, finely chopped
  • 2 spring onions, finely chopped
Instructions
  1. Heat your chosen fat in a frying pan to a medium heat. Add the asparagus and cook for around 10 minutes – until really golden and crispy. Turn often.
  2. Add the bacon to the pan, and continue to fry for another 3 or 4 minutes with the asparagus, turning once.
  3. Meanwhile, bring a pan of salted water to the boil. Dunk the quails eggs in, and set the timer for two minutes exactly. As soon as the time is up, drain them and pour in cold water.
  4. Serve the bacon on a plate alongside the asparagus. Peel the quails eggs and chop them in half, and place them on top of the asparagus so the tips soak up the yolks. Garnish with the chives and spring onions.

 

Quail’s Eggs, Bacon and Crispy Asparagus paleo recipe breakfast idea-min

Paleo recipe Perfect Oxtail Veggie One Pot-min

Recipe: Perfect Oxtail and Veggie One Pot

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Whether you call it a stew, a casserole, or a one pot – nothing beats a big, steaming bowl of tender meat, juicy veggies and rich gravy. Oxtail is a cheap and highly nutritious cut, and is perfect for stewing. However, the key to this recipe is the umami rich flavours that just dance on your palate, making this one pot one of the best tasting (and best value) recipes you’ll make in a long time.




Recipe: Perfect Oxtail and Veggie One Pot
 
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Recipe type: Dinner
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Ingredients
  • 1.5kg oxtail, diced
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 1 tsp allspice
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil or lard
  • 2 white onions, sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 2 beef tomatoes, diced
  • 4 bay leaves
  • A few sprigs fresh thyme
  • A few sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
  • ½ litre homemade (or organic) beef stock
  • 4 tbsp coconut aminos
  • 4 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 6 large carrots, diced
  • 1 large cauliflower, chopped into florets
  • 2 tbsp arrowroot starch (optional)
Instructions
  1. Rub the oxtail with a generous amount of salt and pepper, and the allspice. Heat the coconut oil (or lard) in your largest stock pot, and cook the oxtail for about 10 minutes until browned all over. Remove for the heat but retain the meat juices.
  2. Add the diced onions to the pan, and cook gently for 5 minutes in the meat juices before adding the garlic and cooking for another 2. Throw in the tomatoes, bay leaves, thyme, rosemary, and the cinnamon stick, before pouring in the chopped tomatoes and beef stock. Turn up the heat and bring to the boil.
  3. When the liquid is simmering, return the oxtail to the pot. Stir in the coconut aminos and red wine vinegar, before turning the heat down to low and covering the pot. Simmer gently for around 3 hours.
  4. Add the carrots and cauliflower to the pot before popping the lid back on and cooking for another 30 minutes. 10 minutes before serving, stir in the arrowroot (if using) to thicken the gravy.

Paleo recipe Perfect Oxtail Veggie One Pot-min

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

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

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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
 
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Recipe type: Dinner
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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 paella seafood-min

Recipe: Paleo Paella

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Yet another recipe that proves cauliflower rice is just as good (if not better) as the real thing. I love the combination of flavours and textures that is unique to Paella – what other dish in the world will you find prawns, anchovies, chicken and bacon altogether, delicately infused with smoked paprika and saffron? I can’t think of any, so what better reason to enjoy this super easy one pan dish with the whole family.

Recipe: Paleo Paella
 
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Ingredients
  • 2 medium cauliflowers
  • 1 tsp coconut oil
  • 4 skinless and boneless chicken thigh fillets
  • 6 – 8 rashers of smoked streaky bacon, diced
  • 1 large red onion, sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic, diced
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • A pinch saffron
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 litre home made (or organic) chicken stock
  • 2 large tomatoes, diced
  • 2 large handfuls green peas
  • 15 – 20 large prawns, shelled
  • 6 Anchovies, diced
  • Black pepper
  • Handful fresh oregano
Instructions
  1. Blitz the heads of both cauliflowers in your food processor until it resembles rice (you may need to do this in separate batches depending on the size of your food processor). Set aside.
  2. Heat the coconut oil in your largest, heavy based pan. Dice the chicken thighs into thumb sized pieces. When the pan is at a high heat, fry the chicken for about 5 minutes until golden brown. Set aside, keeping the juices in the pan.
  3. Return the pan to a medium heat. Add the bacon, sliced red onion, garlic and paprika and stir fry for a couple of minutes, making sure they don’t burn. Add the cauliflower rice, paprika and bay, before pouring in the stock and sprinkling on the saffron. Don’t put the saffron in the pan before the stock – it’s very delicate and this will impair the flavour.
  4. Return the chicken to the pan. Leave to simmer for about 10 minutes, until most of the liquid is absorbed. Stir regularly.
  5. Add the diced tomatoes, green peas, prawns and anchovies to the pan for a further 5 minutes cooking time. When all the liquid is absorbed, serve garnished with the fresh oregano. There’s no need for salt thanks to the anchovies, but season with a generous amount of black pepper.

Recipe paleo paella seafood-min

Are you a Paella fan? What do you put in yours?

Recipe paleo Potato free Aloo Gobi indian side dish-min

Recipe: Potato free Aloo Gobi

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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
 
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Recipe type: Sides
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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

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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
 
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Recipe type: Dinner
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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

paleo recipe Curried Parsnip, Apple and Ginger Soup-min

Recipe: Curried Parsnip, Apple and Ginger Soup

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This soup is such a welcome change from the norm. The fragrant curry spices work perfectly with the parsnips, and the sweetness of the apple adds a whole different dimension. The texture is very different too thanks to the grated apple. Try serving topped with some toasted flaked almonds – delicious!

Recipe: Curried Parsnip, Apple and Ginger Soup
 
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Recipe type: Soups
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Ingredients
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 large white onion, diced
  • Thumb sized piece fresh ginger, crushed
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 tbsp coriander
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 8 cardomom pods, crushed
  • 4 curry leaves
  • 1 cinnamon stick, snapped in half
  • 750g parsnips, cores removed, diced
  • 1 litre vegetable stock
  • 2 apples (I used Gala)
Instructions
  1. Heat the coconut oil in a large saucepan or a small stock pot. Add the onion and cook on a low heat for about 5 minutes until soft. Add the ginger and garlic and cook for another 2 or 3 minutes.
  2. Add the spices to the saucepan and stir frequently, taking care to make sure that they do not burn. Cook for about a minute or so, before adding the parsnips and the stock. Bring to the boil, then simmer gently for around 40 minutes.
  3. Remove the soup from the heat. Remove the cinnamon stick and curry leaves, then blitz in your blender. Return to the heat.
  4. Grate the apples and add to the saucepan. Wait until the soup begins to simmer again before serving.

Do you often make soup? Which is your favourite paleo friendly soup? I quite often make a big batch of soup, freeze it and take it to work to reheat (I hate using microwaves, but figure this is a better option than relying on a very un-paleo food court!)

paleo recipe Curried Parsnip, Apple and Ginger Soup-min

Recipe paleo herbal Cardamom, Black Pepper and Coconut Milk Tea-min

Recipe: Cardamom, Black Pepper and Coconut Milk Tea

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I'm a big fan of herbal tea, and one of my favourite blends is Chai. This is a twist on the classic that is slightly sweeter and creamier thanks to the coconut milk. It still retains all the spiced, warming goodness of standard chai though, so brew up a cup for everyone and unwind for the evening. If, like me, you're a former chai latte fan, but no longer consuming dairy, this could be exactly the alternative you've been searching for. If only my local coffee shop could put this on the menu…

Recipe: Cardamom, Black Pepper and Coconut Milk Tea
 
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Recipe type: Drinks
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Ingredients
  • 100ml full fat coconut milk
  • 8 cardamom pods, crushed
  • 1 tbsp black peppercorns
  • Pinch nutmeg
  • 1 tsp raw honey
  • 3 cloves
  • 1 cinnamon stick, snapped in half
Instructions
  1. Add the coconut milk to a saucepan with the cardamom, black pepper, nutmeg and honey. Bring to the boil and simmer for about 5 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, boil your kettle and pour 750ml hot water into a teapot over the cloves and cinnamon. Leave to infuse for a couple of minutes - or until it reaches your desired strength.
  3. Strain the tea into four cups, and pour in the milk. Taste, and adjust the sweetness if necessary.

I'd love to know what you drink during a typical (working?) day? Do you stick to water, or mix it up with some different types of teas and coffee?

So many people tell me that they really struggle with giving up soda when they make the transition to paleo. One thing that seems to help is making sure you have some good herbal teas to hand to help you get over the diet coke addiction! Another thing that I've seen recommended is soda water (or sparkling water) with some fresh lime.

Recipe paleo herbal Cardamom, Black Pepper and Coconut Milk Tea-min

Smoky Pulled Pork with Sugar Free Apple BBQ Sauce paleo recipe-min

Recipe: Smoky Pulled Pork with Sugar Free Apple BBQ Sauce

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Although it requires a lot of patience, pulled pork doesn’t actually require a great deal of time in the kitchen. Cure it overnight in the fridge, then cook slowly for 5 hours – and you have a seriously juicy, melt in the mouth cut of meat.

The tricky part is getting the balance of flavours right, but you just can’t beat the classic; smoky bbq. The dry rub is packed with complex flavours, whilst the apple bbq sauce is the perfect complement – and sugar-free to boot!

Recipe: Smoky Pulled Pork with Sugar Free Apple BBQ Sauce
 
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Recipe type: Pork
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Ingredients
  • Smoky Pulled Pork Ingredients:
  • 1 pork shoulder, approx. 2kg
  • 50ml Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1 tbsp Sea Salt
  • For the marinade:
  • 2 tbsp coriander seeds
  • 1 tbsp fennel seeds
  • 1 tbsp black peppercorns
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tbsp chipotle paste
  • 2 fat garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 heaped tbsp. smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp blackstrap molasses
  • For the Apple BBQ Sauce:
  • 250ml tomato passata
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 heaped tbsp unsweetened applesauce
  • 50ml apple cider vinegar
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
Instructions
  1. The night before you wish to cook your pork, remove the skin and place in a large food bag. Pour in the vinegar and sprinkle over the sea salt, before tying up the bag and giving it a good shake. Leave in the fridge overnight.
  2. The next day, make your marinade by crushing the coriander, fennel, black peppercorns and cumin seeds in a mortar and pestle. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well to make a paste. Set aside.
  3. Preheat your oven to 220C / 425F. Rub the marinade all over the pork, taking care to massage it deep into all the nooks and crannies. Place the pork in a foil lined roasting dish, and transfer to the oven for 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 140C / 275F, cover loosely with foil and leave to roast for 5 hours.
  4. minutes before serving, begin to make the bbq sauce by heating the passata in a saucepan until it begins to simmer. Add the remaining ingredients and stir well to combine. Leave to simmer for 10 minutes, until it reduces to about half its size.
  5. Remove the pork from the oven and shred with a fork to get your pulled pork. Serve with a generous dollop of the bbq sauce.

Smoky Pulled Pork with Sugar Free Apple BBQ Sauce paleo recipe-min