Posts

Chermoula Chicken Legs with Cumin Roasted Beets and Tomatoes paleo recipe-min

Recipe: Chermoula Chicken Legs with Cumin Roasted Beets and Tomatoes

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

Chermoula is a North African flavour blend traditionally used for fish, but it’s zingy and fragrant flavours mean it is also the perfect accompaniment for roast chicken. My chicken recipes are always popular, so I thought I'd create a chicken version. Both the chicken and the vegetables rely on the cumin, which makes this dish wonderfully earthy and aromatic. The chicken is best if marinated overnight, but it’s not essential.

Recipe: Chermoula Chicken Legs with Cumin Roasted Beets and Tomatoes
 
Author: 
Recipe type: Dinner
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Print
Ingredients
  • 2 large chicken legs
  • 1 tbsp cumin seeds
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • ½ small white onion
  • 1 large handful coriander
  • 1 large handful parsley
  • Zest and juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 4 medium beets, chopped into quarters
  • 1 large red onion, chopped
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • Juice half lemon
  • 2 tbsp cumin seeds
  • Salt and pepper
  • 10 – 12 cherry tomatoes, halved
Instructions
  1. Lightly toast the cumin seeds until fragrant. Grind them in a food processor, before adding the garlic, onion, coriander, parsley, lemon, pepper and paprika. Spoon the marinade (chermoula) over the chicken and massage it in. Leave to marinade for as long as you can – preferably overnight, but a couple of hours will do.
  2. When you’re ready to cook, heat the oven to 180C / 375F. Transfer the marinated chicken to a foil lined roasting dish, and cook for 45 to 50 minutes, basting once or twice.
  3. Meanwhile, combine the beets and onion in a roasting dish. Toss in the olive oil and lemon juice, and sprinkle over the cumin seeds, salt and pepper. Roast for 40 minutes, before adding the tomatoes for the final 10. Serve alongside the chicken.

Have you tried many North African recipes, like this Chermoula? I'd love to hear how you got on, and which are your favourite flavours!

Chermoula Chicken Legs with Cumin Roasted Beets and Tomatoes paleo recipe-min

Paleo recipe simple salsa-min

Simple Salsa

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

What to do when you have too many tomatoes? Make salsa of course! Salsa is a great dip and I often serve it with my home-made burgers. This recipe plays it safe, but for an extra kick, add some finely chopped fresh chilli to the mixture!

Simple Salsa
 
Author: 
Recipe type: Sauces & Condiments
Prep time: 
Total time: 
Print
Ingredients
  • Handful fresh coriander, chopped
  • 1 red onion, diced finely
  • 3 large ripe tomatoes, diced
  • Juice of ½ lime
  • Splash of olive oil
  • Sea salt to taste
Instructions
  1. It couldn't get much simpler - mix the ingredients together & season to taste. I immediately transfer into a jar that I can serve from.
  2. The jar should last for a few days in the fridge, make sure it's air tight.

How do you make salsa? I'd love to hear your secret ingredients and tips!

Paleo recipe simple salsa-min

Cucumber marigold pickle edible flowers recipe paleo-min

Recipe: Cucumber Marigold Pickle

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

Ever tried eating flowers? Not just any flowers of course, but so many are edible. I love marigolds in the garden, so thought I'd experiment with them in the kitchen. Turns out they have a bit of a citrus flavour, which went really well with the quick cucumber marigold pickle I made.

Recipe-Paleo-Diet-Cucumber-Marigold-Edible-Flowers-Pickle-Primal-680x450-min

Recipe: Cucumber Marigold Pickle
 
Author: 
Recipe type: Sauces & Condiments
Prep time: 
Total time: 
Print
Ingredients
  • Half a cucumber
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • Petals of 1 marigold head, washed
  • ½ red onion, finely sliced
  • ¼ cup white vinegar
  • Splash extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
  1. Slice the cucumber and add the salt in a bowl, to draw the liquid out. Put the bowl in the fridge for an hour.
  2. Remove from the fridge and drain off all excess liquid.
  3. Add the remaining ingredients, stir to combine and serve in a jar. This is a great side to take along to a picnic or barbecue.

Have you cooked with edible flowers before? I'd love to hear what you made and which flowers you used in the comments below.

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

Recipe: Quail’s Eggs, Bacon and Crispy Asparagus

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

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.

4.0 from 1 reviews
Recipe: Quail’s Eggs, Bacon and Crispy Asparagus
 
Author: 
Recipe type: Breakfast
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Print
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

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

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
 
Author: 
Recipe type: Dinner
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Print
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

Recipe paleo paella seafood-min

Recipe: Paleo Paella

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

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
 
Author: 
Print
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

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

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: 
Print
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

/2 Comments/in , , , , , , /by

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: 
Print
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

/3 Comments/in , , , , , , /by

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
 
Author: 
Recipe type: Soups
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Print
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

Furious Furikake Chilli Beef Hash paleo recipe-min

Recipe: Furious Furikake Chilli Beef Hash

/2 Comments/in , , , , , , /by

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: 
Print
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