Paleo Diet Recipe Primal Spinach Courgette Salad Orange Sesame Dressing-min

Recipe: Spinach and Courgette Salad with Orange and Sesame Dressing

Fresh, green salad combined with an incredibly delicious dressing. Perfect for al fresco eating with some barbequed protein.

Spinach and Courgette Salad Ingredients:

  • 3 courgettes, thinly sliced
  • 4 large handfuls fresh spinach
  • 12 sundried tomatoes, halved
  • 1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped
  • Handful of pine nuts
  • For the dressing:
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 2 tbsp tahini paste
  • Juice of ½ orange
  • 1tsp honey
  • 2tbsp olive oil
  • Sea salt and black pepper

Spinach and Courgette Salad How To:

Heat a little oil in a pan to a medium heat. Add the sliced courgettes and peppers a little at a time so they are not too bunched up. Cook for 3 – 4 minutes each with a little sea salt, ensuring they are nicely chargrilled.

In a large salad bowl, toss together the spinach and sundried tomatoes. Add the courgettes and peppers, then toss again. Scatter the pine nuts on top.

To make the dressing, whizz together all the ingredients bar the olive oil to make a thick liquid. Gradually add the oil, stirring as you go, until you reach the desired texture.

Drizzle the dressing generously over the salad, toss and serve.

Paleo Diet Recipe Primal Spinach Courgette Salad Orange Sesame Dressing-min

Thai Salmon in the Bag paleo recipe fish dinner lunch foil poached-min

Recipe: Thai Salmon in the Bag

Packed with heart healthy fats and omega 3, as well as vitamins D and B12, Salmon really is much more than just protein. This recipe is fragrant and fiery, and steaming it in the ‘bag’ locks in all the goodness. Did I mention its easy too?

Thai Salmon in the Bag Ingredients:

  • 4 organic, wild salmon fillets
  • 1 scotch bonnet chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
  • Small handful of fresh coriander, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  • 2 spring onions, trimmed and chopped
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • Salt and black pepper

Thai Salmon in the Bag How To:

Heat the oven to 180C / 350F / gas mark 4

Pop each salmon fillet onto a square of tin foil, season with a little salt and pepper.

In a bowl, mix together the remaining ingredients. Transfer to the foil, and seal tightly. Make sure there is at least a 4cm ‘ceiling’ at the top to allow the salmon to steam.

Place the parcels on to a baking tray, and bake for 15 minutes. Serve with a healthy green salad.

Thai Salmon in the Bag paleo recipe fish dinner lunch foil poached-min

Chicken Soup paleo recipe primal dinner lunch-min

Recipe: Chicken Soup

Chicken soup is the ultimate comfort food. This recipe serves four, but make as much as you can and freeze the rest to pull out on a rainy day.

Chicken Soup Ingredients:

• 40g (1.5oz) butter (or use coconut oil if dairy free)

• 2 small onions, peeled and sliced

• 2 sticks celery, finely chopped

• 2 small carrots, peeled and finely diced

• 1 litres (1.5 pints) chicken stock

• 300g (0.7lb) cooked chicken, skinned and shredded

• 1 tbsp freshly chopped parsley

• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Chicken Soup How To:

In a large pan over a medium heat, melt the butter, then fry the onions, celery and carrots until they become soft.

Add in the chicken stock and keep stirring whilst bringing the mixture to the boil.

Once it has boiled, reduce the heat to a simmer for ten minutes (until the vegetables are soft) and season to your taste.

Add in the cooked chicken pieces and just before serving, stir in the parsley.

Serve & enjoy!

Chicken Soup paleo recipe primal dinner lunch-min

Fresh Tuna and Mango Salad paleo diet recipe primal lunch dinner ideas-min

Recipe: Fresh Tuna and Mango Salad

Quick, light and zingy, this tropical inspired tuna and mango salad is perfect for Al Fresco dining. When buying tuna steaks, always select sushi grade and enjoy the full flavour the meat has to offer when cooked rare.

Tuna and Mango Salad Ingredients:

For the tuna

  • 2 medium tuna steaks
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
  • 3cm fresh ginger, grated
  • 1 tbsp fresh coriander, finely chopped
  • Juice ½ lime
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • Sea salt and black pepper

For the salad

  • 1 large handful Asian greens, i.e. rocket / mizuna
  • 100g fine green beans
  • 1 small, ripe mango, peeled and chopped into cubes
  • 8 – 10 small cherry tomatoes, halved
  • Small handful fresh coriander, torn

Tuna and Mango Salad How To:

In a small bowl, combine all the marinade ingredients. Rub into the tuna steaks, and leave to marinade for at least half an hour.

Meanwhile, toss together all the salad ingredients and divide into two salad bowls.

Heat a griddle to a very high heat. Drizzle with a little olive oil, wait until it starts to smoke, then throw the tuna steaks on. Flash fry for 1 minute each side, so still pink in the middle. Dice and divide into the two salad bowls.

Fresh Tuna and Mango Salad paleo diet recipe primal lunch dinner ideas-min

Paleo Diet Recipe Primal Middle Eastern Duck Salad-min

Recipe: Middle Eastern Duck Salad

Hot, shredded duck and a vibrant salad, tossed in a delicately spiced dressing. This duck salad is seduction in a bowl, if I do say so myself.

Duck Salad Ingredients:

  • 2 roasted duck legs (if buying fresh duck, follow the roasting guidelines below)
  • 4 tbsp olive oil, plus extra
  • 1 tbsp ras el hanout spice blend
  • Juice ½ clementine
  • 1 tsp raw honey
  • 1 large handful watercress
  • 1 large handful pea shoots
  • 2 large carrots, grated
  • Small handful fresh mint leaves
  • 100g pomegranate seeds

Duck Salad How To:

To roast the duck

Preheat the oven to 200C / 400F / Gas Mark 6

Heat a griddle to a high heat. Drizzle with a small amount of olive oil, then sear the duck legs for a couple of minutes each side until golden in colour.

Drizzle the duck with a little more olive oil, season with salt and pepper, then leave to roast in the oven for 2 hours. Leave to stand before 10 minutes before shredding.

For the salad

Combine the olive oil and the ras-el-hanout in a small saucepan. Heat gently until aromatic, then transfer to a measuring jug. Whisk in the Clementine juice, honey, and a little salt and pepper.

In a large serving bowl, toss together the watercress, pea shoots, carrot and mint leaves.

Shred the duck with a fork, and add to the salad. Toss in the spiced dressing, then scatter over the pomegranate seeds to serve.

Paleo Diet Recipe Primal Middle Eastern Duck Salad-min

Recipe fridge raider chicken drumsticks paleo network-min

Recipe: Fridge Raider Chicken Drumsticks

For all you fridge raiders out there who struggle to make it between lunch and dinner without a much needed protein fix. Although delicious warm, these chicken drumsticks are even better cold and make the perfect Paleo snack. No frills, they are super easy to make as well!

Recipe: Fridge Raider Chicken Drumsticks
 
Author: 
Recipe type: Dinner
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
These are a great way to cook up some chicken legs. If you can resist them, they're great to keep in the fridge for a snack too!
Ingredients
  • 8 Chicken Drumsticks
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 1 tbsp runny honey
  • 2 tsp curry powder
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • Pinch of Sea Salt
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 220 C / 425F / Gas mark 8. Yes it's hot, but you like your drumsticks crispy right!?
  2. Slash the drumsticks with a sharp knife – this will allow the flavours to seep well into the meat. In a bowl, mix the lime juice, honey and spices. Rub onto the chicken with your hands to ensure an even coating and spike your hunter gatherer instinct.
  3. Cook for 45 minutes, turning the chicken 2-3 times to cook evenly.

Recipe fridge raider chicken drumsticks paleo network-min

 

Paleo recipe Gazpacho cold tomato soup-min

Recipe: Gazpacho

For some reason, the thought of cold soup scares many people away from Gazpacho, long before they’ve even had a chance to try it. It's such a shame, because its so flavoursome and bursting with Vitamin C. This recipe is super easy and full of flavour, and makes a wonderful light lunch on a summer’s day or a starter at your Spanish dinner party. Give that hob a break and tuck in!

Gazpacho Ingredients:

  • 750g vine ripened tomatoes, roughly chopped (the riper the better)
  • 1 red onion, chopped
  • 1 tbsp hot Smoked Paprika
  • 3 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 50ml olive oil, plus 1tbsp extra
  • 2 tbsp sherry balsamic vinegar
  • Small handful fresh basil leaves, torn, to serve

Gazpacho How To:

Simmer the red onion in a little olive oil over a low heat for 2 – 3 minutes to soften. Add the paprika, simmer for another minute or so, then transfer to the blender.

Blitz the onions and paprika with the tomatoes and garlic. Process well, then pass the mix through a fine sieve to remove any excess pulp. Repeat if necessary.

Return the contents to the blender and gradually add the olive oil and sherry vinegar. Combine, season to taste, then leave in the fridge to chill overnight.

Serve the next day straight from the fridge garnished with the fresh basil.

Paleo recipe Gazpacho cold tomato soup-min

Mexican Chicken Soup with Chipotle and Lime paleo diet recipe lunch dinner-min

Recipe: Mexican Chicken Soup with Chipotle and Lime

Tangy, spicy, smoky… the Mexican Chicken Soup is everything Mexican cooking should be and more!

Mexican Chicken Soup Ingredients:

  • 1 red onion, finely chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 tbsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 2 medium dried chipotle chillies
  • 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
  • 200g roast chicken, shredded
  • Juice 2 limes
  • Large handful fresh coriander, to serve
  • Sea Salt and Black Pepper
  • Oil (coconut or preferred fat)

Mexican Chicken Soup How To:

Slice the chipotle chillies in half, removing the seeds if you want the soup a little less spicy. Chop into pieces roughly the size of your thumb nail, then soak in cold water for 5 minutes.

Heat a little oil or fat in a large saucepan. Soften the onion for 3 – 4 minutes, then add the crushed garlic, cumin and coriander. Simmer gently for another 2 minutes, then pour in the chopped tomatoes.

Add the chillies, along with the water they were soaked in, to the saucepan. With a hand blender, blitz the soup until smooth.

Add the shredded roast chicken to the saucepan. Stir well, and simmer for 10 minutes to heat through.

Squeeze in the lime juice, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into soup bowls, and finish with a generous helping of chopped coriander

Mexican Chicken Soup with Chipotle and Lime paleo diet recipe lunch dinner-min

Paleo recipe Roasted Pumpkin and Squash Soup with Chilli and Lime-min

Recipe: Roasted Pumpkin and Squash Soup with Chilli and Lime

Not only is this soup wonderfully creamy and comforting, it comes with an added zing courtesy of the lime and chilli. Perfect for a cold day!

I always multiply up the ingredients to the size of my largest pan. Any soup that I won’t use, I then freeze into individual portion sizes, making lots of ready prepared meals I can just heat up – or take into work.

Soup Ingredients:

  • 1 small pumpkin, deseeded and cut into wedges
  • ½ butternut squash, as above
  • 4 – 5 sprigs of fresh thyme
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 700ml water
  • Juice of 2 limes
  • 1 teaspoon of cumin
  • 1 teaspoon of coriander
  • 1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes
  • Salt and black pepper

 Soup How To:

1)     Heat the oven to 180C / 350F / gas mark 4. Place the wedges of pumpkin and squash into a roasting dish, coat with the olive oil and season with salt and black pepper. Roast for around 45 minutes until really soft and tender (this may take a little longer depending on the size of your veggies) then remove from the oven and leave to cool.

2)     Scrape the flesh away from the wedges into a large pan. Add the water and the spices, and blend well with an immersion blender.

3)     Heat through, then stir in the lime juice. Season to taste and enjoy.

What is your favourite soup?

Paleo recipe Roasted Pumpkin and Squash Soup with Chilli and Lime-min

http://paleo.com.au/recipe-vegetarian-sweet-potato-boats-capsicum-stew-labna/

Recipe: Sweet Potato Boats with Roast Capsicum Stew & Labna

I thought I’d share with you another recipe from my new Paleo Vegan and Vegetarian recipe ebook. The recipes in the book are designed for Vegans and Vegetarians keen to ditch grains and legumes – and adopt more of a Paleo diet. In the book I aim to show how even without meat, making the right choices, it is possible to avoid grains, legumes and dairy. If you’re interested in the book and more of a vegetarian paleo approach, you can find it here.

This recipe is for sweet potato boats, loaded with a roast capsicum stew & labana – and will wow anyone you serve it to, vegetarian or not!

Recipe: Sweet Potato Boats with Roast Capsicum Stew & Labna
 
Author: 
Recipe type: Lunch
Cuisine: Classic
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
This is a recipe from my vegan and vegetarian paleo cookbook - enjoy!
Ingredients
  • 4 medium sized sweet potatoes (about 250 g or ½ lb each), scrubbed & halved
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 onions, halves , peeled & sliced
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp coriander seeds
  • 2 tsp sweet paprika
  • ½ tsp sea salt
  • ¼ tsp chilli powder
  • 700g (25oz) jar roasted peppers, drained well & roughly chopped (make sure the ingredients don’t include sugar)
  • 8 tomatoes, roughly chopped
  • 1 cup mixed herb leaves (parsley, coriander, dill, chives), roughly chopped
  • 2 tbsp unhulled sesame seeds, toasted
  • ⅓ cup labna
  • sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven 180ºC (350ºF). Rub half the olive oil over the sweet potatoes halves and arrange cut side down on lined baking trays. Roast for about 40 minutes, or until very tender and beginning to caramelise. Remove from the oven, turn to face up and slit across down the centre- the cut should be about 1 cm from the ends. Press a spoon into the slit and push the sides apart gently to create a of boat shape to hold the stew.
  2. Meanwhile, heat the remaining olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat and add the onions. Sauté, stirring, for about 10 minutes or until brown. Add the spices and salt and continue to cook for a minute or two, until everything is fragrant. Add the peppers and tomatoes and adjust the heat to a steady simmer. Cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
  3. To serve arrange 2 sweet potato halves on each serving plate and divide the stew between them. Garnish with herbs and sesame seeds and serve with labna on the side.

Recipe paleo sweet potato boats with roast capsicum bell pepper stew and labna vegan pegan diet-min