Cajun Spice Marinade paleo recipe-min

Recipe: Cajun Spice Marinade

/0 Comments/in , , , , , /by

There's nothing like a simple marinade to spice up an otherwise simple steak or fish dinner.

This is a really easy marinade to put together; make it up in advance and store in in a jar in the fridge so it's ready to use.

Cajun Spice Marinade paleo recipe-min

Recipe: Cajun Spice Marinade
 
Author: 
Recipe type: Sauces & Condiments
Prep time: 
Total time: 
Print
This spice marinade will spice up whichever meat you rub it on!
Ingredients
  • 2 tsp Cayenne Pepper
  • 2 tsp Paprika
  • 1 tsp Oregano
  • 3 tsp Onion Powder
  • 1 tsp Ground black pepper
  • 1 Garlic clove, minced
  • Sea salt (I use pink Himalayan)
Instructions
  1. It couldn't get simpler than this! pound the ingredients with a pestle and mortar until it becomes powdery and evenly distributed.
  2. Rub the mixture over the meat or fish and allow it to marinate for 2 - 3 hours if you can (but if you're in a hurry, 30 minutes will just about do it!)

 

Weird paleo google searches paleo network-min

More weird Google searches

/5 Comments/in , /by

I shared with you a few months ago some of the strange Google search terms, which have landed people on this blog. Well this month there are more and I thought I’d share some of the funny ones with you. People do some really weird Google searches, don’t they?!

Weird paleo google searches paleo network-min

fish sweet plantains and baked dolphin recipe

Hmmm… dolphin recipes? I didn’t think you’re allowed to eat dolphin this side of Japan? Either way, nope – not here! How about a nice bit of salmon instead?

how to inspect the liver. lungs, heart spleen and skirt(diaphragm)

Not sure if a veterinarian, butcher or medical site would have been more helpful?

do they sell coconut oil in sydney, australia

Now this I can help with. Yes. Yes they do. Australia is quite progressive these days – you can even buy take away coffee!

breakfast recipe no egg for 80 kids

80 kids? Well unfortunately I don’t have any recipes for that many people. But maybe you could use a normal sized recipe and multiply the quantities out several times?

stoned and want a quick snack to make

I have literally no idea why this lead you to my blog? But you should probably make some avocado chocolate mousse.

dangers of almonds and red wine

Running out, probably?

will it still make a difference if i eat paleo during the week and then weekends off?

Do you really need an answer to this?

what bit is mince off a cow?

Definitely all the bad bits. Make your own.

can i go straight to stage 3 on paleo diet

There’s a stage three? Mind = blown. No one has ever mention stage 3 to me before. Is it some kind of insider secret?

what is so special about grass

Hmm… I have no idea where to start with this one.

does anybody stay with the paleo diet for more than 3 months

Definitely not. Just for the two weeks it takes to drop 6 dress sizes. Then they all go straight back to junk food. And on a similar theme…

will paleo not work if i drink diet coke

 

how many coconuts will get me 10 litres of oil

If you’re about to start making your own coconut oil for the first time, this probably shouldn't be the first question you Google?

can you eat the avocado seed

Not sure why you’d want to?

paleo before and after losing thigh fat

So specific…

paleo emergency travel vegetables

You know when you’re travelling, and you’ve forgotten to bring some veggies with you, then it’s an EMERGENCY?

cheap paleo pills

Is this those awesome paleo pills that you can take before and after eating junk food, to mitigate the effect?

low fat pailo lunches

Low fat? Low fat paleo? Is that a thing?

paleo sucks

This may or may not have been written by the people who Google searched for:

are soft drinks paleo?

and

is bread paleo

and possibly

can you have margarine on a paleo diet

We need to talk.

Any tips for our Google searchers? Help them out in the comments below!

12 reasons you should eat more kale paleo diet healthy

12 reasons you should eat more kale

/0 Comments/in , , /by

I'm trying to get a lot more vegetables in my diet – particularly those of the green variety. Kale is my current favourite, it tastes a lot better than it looks and is densely packed with nutrition! Kale is a cruciferous vegetable – and in the Brassica family, but it packs far more of a nutritional punch than its other family members; cauliflower, broccoli and cabbage. Here are 12 reasons you should get more in your diet!

1. It’s full of flavonoids (45 different types) which have many antioxidant & anti-inflammatory benefits.

2. It’s loaded with vitamin K which is crucial for proper blood clotting

3. It also gives a good dose of vitamins A and C – in fact far more vitamin C than an orange.

4. Lots of minerals are also found, such as copper, potassium, phosphorus and manganese

5. Calcium is also more abundant in kale than it is in milk (so those myths that paleo will leave you deficient in calcium are completely unfounded)

6. Kale is a great source of sulphur – and we all know we should be eating more sulphurous veggies….

12 reasons you should eat more kale paleo diet healthy

7. It's  high in iron, essential for a good immune system.

8. Generally kale is a fairly cheap veg, so it’s great to pack out meals on a budget

9. Green fingers? Kale is a relatively easy veg to grow – and the best thing is it’s always fresh!

10. With curly kale, red kale, baby kale  and even a purple kale – you can’t get bored of it!

11. Not that we care about calories, but kale is very low in calories

12. It’s also very low fat – but don’t worry, you can rectify this by cooking it in a generous amount of coconut oil!

How to eat it?

I often just stir fry some kale in coconut oil, but kale is also great in green smoothies – and if you haven’t tried kale chips yet, you’re missing out! If you’d usually eat spinach, try swapping it out for some kale in recipes. And if your family aren't keen on it, try steaming it, puréeing it and mixing it into dishes like stews and casseroles. They’ll never know!

Kale is also great raw in salads – and it goes really well mixed in with some scrambled eggs for a nutritious start to the day.

Are you a kale fan? How do you like yours – tell me you tips in the comments below!

Recipe paleo Slow Cooker Chicken Coconut Veggie Stew-min

Recipe: Slow Cooker Chicken Coconut Veggie Stew

/1 Comment/in , , , , , /by

Despite having bought a far too small slow cooker (seriously, why make enough for one meal, when for the same effort you could have enough for several freezer meals?), I've recently been using my slow cooker a lot more. I love being able to put in a bit of effort in the morning, then coming home to smell a delicious dinner ready and waiting. I've found with this one it’s best to wait until right at the end of cooking to add in the coconut cream, but even so, it’s still next to no effort to have a nutritious dinner cook itself for you!

Serves 4 (but if your slow cooker is big enough make as much as you can and save the extras for later!)

Recipe: Slow Cooker Chicken Coconut Veggie Stew
 
Author: 
Recipe type: Dinner
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Print
Ingredients
  • 3 organic free range chicken breasts, cut into strips
  • 2 parsnips, diced
  • 500g (1 lb) celeriac, peeled and diced
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 30ml (2 tablespoons) olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 30ml (2 tablespoons) minced fresh ginger
  • 15ml (1 tablespoon) curry paste*
  • 5ml (1 teaspoon) ground turmeric
  • 5ml (1 teaspoon) ground chilli
  • Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
  • 300ml (1/2 pint) chicken stock
  • 200ml (7 floz) coconut cream
  • Chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)
Instructions
  1. Heat the oil in a pan and cook the chicken until brown and cooked through.
  2. Put the parsnips, celeriac and carrots in the slow cooker
  3. Meanwhile, add the onion, garlic and ginger to the pan, and cook for a further five minutes, stirring until they soften.
  4. Into the pan, stir in the paste, turmeric, chilli and seasoning.
  5. Add the stock to the pan, and bring it to the boil, stiring occasionally.
  6. Transfer the contents of the pan into the slow cooker, and with the lid on, cook on a low heat for 6-8 hours.
  7. In the last hour add in the coconut cream to add the creaminess to the dish
  8. Just before serving, add the coriander garnish.
  9. *This is so easy to make instead of buying – I’ll type up my recipe and link to it – watch this space!

Recipe paleo Slow Cooker Chicken Coconut Veggie Stew-min

Recipe Sticky Chilli Apricot Salmon Sautéed Sesame Collards paleo network-min

Recipe: Sticky Chilli and Apricot Salmon with Sautéed Sesame Collards

/0 Comments/in , , , , , , /by

Looking for a recipe that's a little different? This recipe for Sticky Chilli and Apricot Salmon with Sautéed Sesame Collards is certainly that! The apricots and chilli create a great hot but sweet combination – this will be a huge hit with whoever you decide to cook it for!

Recipe: Sticky Chilli and Apricot Salmon with Sautéed Sesame Collards
 
Author: 
Recipe type: Dinner
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Print
Ingredients
  • 8 ripe apricots
  • 100ml orange juice
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
  • 2 tbsp coconut aminos
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped
  • 2cm fresh root ginger, minced
  • 2 salmon fillets
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 onion, finely sliced
  • 6 – 8 large collard leaves, shredded
  • 2 tbsp sesame seeds
Instructions
  1. Dice the apricots and place them in a saucepan, taking care to retain all the juices. Combine them in the pan with the orange juice, honey, vinegar, coconut aminos, garlic, chilli and ginger. Bring gently to the boil, and simmer for 10 minutes or so until it reduces by about half.
  2. Heat your oven to 180C. Place the salmon fillets on parchment paper, and spoon over half of the apricot glaze. Tightly wrap the parchment paper, and bake in the oven for 15 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, gently heat the sesame oil in a wok. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes or so, until soft. Add the collards and stir fry until tender, before tossing in the sesame seeds.
  4. Remove the salmon from the parchment paper, and serve on top of the sesame collards. Drizzle with the remaining glaze and a handful or so of fresh coriander.

Recipe Sticky Chilli Apricot Salmon Sautéed Sesame Collards paleo network-min

11 weird unusual paleo ingredients you need to try

11 unusual paleo foods you need to try

/6 Comments/in , /by

If you've noticed you’re eating the same few foods day after day, maybe it’s time to shake things up?! Here are 11 unusual paleo friendly ingredients to change up your diet!

11 weird unusual paleo ingredients you need to try

Kelp noodles

Who needs spaghetti when you can have these instead?

Fish eyes

Packed full of nutrition

Porcini powder

Add some of this into stews for a really deep flavour

Lambs necks

Cheap and a great base for a stock

Mineral Mountain Salt

So you've tried pink Himalayan and Celtic sea salt, how about mountain salt to get some different minerals into your diet?

Banana flour

I know, I know, it’s high in fructose. But if you've got a special occasion coming up, this would make for an interesting paleo baking session!

Sweet potato flour

Another interesting ingredient to experiment with

Cricket bars

Yep, insects packed for your convenience

Aji Amarillo

Next time a recipe calls for chilli, try some Aji Amarillo instead for more of a sweet spicy flavour

Black garlic

And better still, try fermenting it

Dulse flakes

A really good way to get more iodine into your diet, but warning – they do have quite a strong flavour!

Which unusual foods have you tried lately? Have you tried any on my list – and if so – what did you think?! Let me know in the comments, below.

Recipe carrot citrus salad paleo network-min

Recipe: Carrot Citrus Salad

/1 Comment/in , , , , , , , /by

Why have a boring salad, when you can have this zingy brightly coloured salad instead? With a few oranges and lemons still left on the tree, this is a great way to enjoy them! The main ingredient is carrots, but the herbs and spices and citrus make it quite unlike any other carrot you've had before!

This is a great side dish for a summers day, or even enjoy it on top of a paleo burger.

Recipe: Carrot Citrus Salad
 
Author: 
Prep time: 
Total time: 
Print
Ingredients
  • 4 large carrots
  • pinch of cumin seeds
  • pinch of mustard seeds
  • pinch of cinnamon
  • splash of extra virgin olive oil
  • juice of ½ a lemon
  • juice of ½ an orange
  • small bunch of fresh coriander (cilantro), finely chopped
  • sea salt & fresh pepper
  • pinch of orange zest
Instructions
  1. Peel and grate the carrots
  2. Heat the seeds in a pan to release the flavours, then grind them in a pestle and mortar. Add in the cinnamon and mix in with the carrots over the heat for a couple of minutes
  3. Add in the olive oil, citrus juice and coriander (cilantro) as well as the zest and mix in thoroughly.
  4. Allow the flavours to marinate for an hour before serving.

Recipe carrot citrus salad paleo network-min

Recipe foaming zucchini courgette paleo network-min

Recipe: Foaming Zucchini

/0 Comments/in , , , , , , , /by

Don't you just love a two ingredient recipe?! This is a great side dish if you have an abundance of zucchini, as I did. Next time you see it on special offer – buy it all! This dish is guaranteed to be a big talking point!

This is a great side dish and a really good way to get more veggies into your diet, without them being repetitive and a chore to eat. If you're going to eat more vegetables, you might as well enjoy them!

Recipe: Foaming Zucchini
 
Author: 
Recipe type: Sides
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Print
Ingredients
  • 3 zucchinis (courgettes)
  • 70g (3 oz) butter*
  • Yep, it really is just a two ingredient recipe!
Instructions
  1. Coarsely grate the zucchinis, discarding the ends
  2. Melt the butter slowly in a pan, then add the zucchini and put the lid on the pan.
  3. Shake the pan often to move the zucchini and prevent it from sticking
  4. After a couple of minutes, you'll have steaming zucchini and beautiful zucchini foam.
  5. Serve immediately
  6. *I used butter for this, but if you don't use dairy replace with olive oil, or for a taste sensation, try bacon grease.

Recipe foaming zucchini courgette paleo network-min

your paleo wishlist $200 gift vouchers

If you had $2000 to spend on paleo things – what would you buy?

/5 Comments/in , , /by

What would you buy if you were given $2000 to spend on your paleo lifestyle?

Purely hypothetical, but let’s say you were given $2000 to spend on Amazon. On yourself. You’ve got half an hour to choose, before the offer expires. All those gadgets and books you’d love, but could never justify.

Instead of buying the entry model food processor, you could get the top of the range model. Instead of buying one good knife, you could buy the whole set.

your paleo wishlist $200 gift vouchers

What’s on my list?

Cooking Equipment:

A Vitamix Blender

So I've got a big standard food processor, but wouldn't you just love your very own vitamix blender?

Paleo-wishlist-vitamix-blender

An Ice Cream Maker

I’d use this once in a blue moon, so I’d never be so extravagant as to buy one. But imagine the paleo ice cream you could make in one of these?

Global Knives

I've heard good things about these knives, so I’d make sure I invested in a good set. I'm sure they’d last a lot longer than the cheap knives I have in my kitchen!

global-knives-paleo-wishlist_of_you_had_2000

Slow Cooker/ CrockPot

When I bought mine, I didn't give any thought to the size – and I've always been so disappointed with how small mine is. If I’m going to use it, why not make enough for the freezer, instead of just that night’s dinner?! So high on my list would be a much bigger model.

Fitness

Pull Up Bars

I really want to be able to master pull ups. If I had a pull up bar attached to my ceiling, I like to think I’d practice every time I walked by!

Pull up bar paleo wishlist

Kettlebells

Likewise I’d love my own set of kettlebells

Lifestyle

Grounding Mat

Now this might sound a little odd, but I’d also buy a grounding mat/ earthing sheet to make sure I always had a connection to the earth, even inside my house. Got to be a good thing for days when you’re stuck indoors

Blue Light Blocking Glasses

This might seem a little odd too, but I'm trying hared to reduce my exposure to blue light after sunset. This should really help to regulate circadian rhythm and improve sleep. As much as I try, it’s so hard to minimise all blue light – especially living in a built up area. Special orange lenses glasses like this could make a big difference.

Blue light blocking glasses

Books

There are so many paleo related books on the market at the moment (compared to only two or three a few years ago!), so I’d definitely order a few I've not yet read.

You can see the rest of my wishlist here

I’d love to see what you’d buy if you were given a $2000 Amazon voucher. So tell me in the comments – what would you buy?!

Happy 3rd birthday blog anniversary 3 years paleo network

Happy Blog Anniversary to Me!

/8 Comments/in , , /by

Wow – I wrote my first post on this blog three years ago today! Doesn't time fly? By that time I’d been eating paleo for the best part of a year, had lost loads of weight and was feeling amazing. I’d set this blog up ages before I plucked up the courage to start writing. I just attended my first Ancestral Health Symposium in California in August 2011 and came back full of enthusiasm ready to start the Paleo Network!

Paleo-Network-Blog-Happy-Anniversary-Birthday 3rd

Since then we've now got Paleo Meetup Groups in every state in the country, I've written 5 recipe ebooks and the Paleo Network Facebook page now has over 79,000 followers! Who’d have thought!

I can’t wait to see what the next three years brings. I wonder, perhaps paleo will be mainstream by then?!

Happy anniversary!