The Paleo Diet Cookbook: More than 150 recipes for Paleo Breakfasts, Lunches, Dinners, Snacks, and Beverages (12 page)

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Authors: Loren Cordain

BOOK: The Paleo Diet Cookbook: More than 150 recipes for Paleo Breakfasts, Lunches, Dinners, Snacks, and Beverages
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Place wrapped spears on paper towel to drain. Arrange spears on a serving platter and layer with tomato and onion slices. Drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Add freshly ground black pepper.
 
Pecan-Stuffed Figs
 
This Paleo hors d’oeuvre is a fast fix for last-minute guests. The addition of pecans to dried fruit is a perfect blend for this pre-meal snack. SERVES 4
8 fresh or dried figs
8 pecan halves
 
 
 
If using dried figs, place in bowl with 1 cup of water for thirty minutes to rehydrate.
 
Cut stems from figs and discard. Make a small slice across the top of each fig. Insert one pecan half into each.
 
Gazpacho
 
This vitamin-packed soup is traditionally served cold and pairs well with a fresh salad from your Paleo Diet menu (see chapter 9). SERVES 4
4 large beefsteak tomatoes, quartered
1 jalapeño pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 small red onion, diced
1 small cucumber, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
 
 
 
Place tomatoes in food processor and puree until smooth.
 
Pour into medium bowl. Add peppers, garlic, onion, cucumber, and lime juice. Stir to combine. Sprinkle with cilantro and black pepper.
 
Beefed-Up Mini Wraps
 
This Paleo wrap is both simple to make and easy to take out for an on-the-go snack or to serve with any meal. SERVES 2
4 thin roast beef slices
1 small avocado, mashed
1 cup raw spinach, washed and coarsely chopped
1 small apple, washed and cut into 8 wedges
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon dried rosemary
 
 
 
Place beef slices on a smooth surface. Spread avocado over each piece of meat. Layer with spinach and apple wedges. Sprinkle with oregano and rosemary. Roll carefully to create wraps.
 
Grapes of Wrap
 
Serve these tasty wraps to your friends and family for a unique and savory start to a special Paleo meal. SERVES 4
8 ounces Roasted Trussed Chicken, shredded (page 82)
1 ounce raw walnuts, chopped
½ cup red grapes, chopped
½ teaspoon dried tarragon
½ teaspoon dried rosemary
4 Bibb or butter lettuce leaves
1 tablespoon cold-pressed flaxseed oil
 
 
 
In a medium bowl, combine chicken, walnuts, grapes, tarragon, and rosemary. Mix well.
 
Spoon an equal portion into each lettuce leaf. Drizzle with flaxseed oil. Roll lettuce leaves carefully and secure with toothpicks.
 
Melon Blankets
 
Take a break from the heat of the kitchen and wrap up your favorite melon with fresh lean turkey for a refreshing Paleo delight. SERVES 4
1 fresh cantaloupe, casaba, or honeydew melon, chilled
8 pieces of thinly sliced turkey breast, about 1 ounce
each
Freshly ground black pepper
 
 
 
Remove seeds from center of melon and discard. Slice melon into eight equal wedges and remove rind.
 
Wrap one slice of turkey around each melon wedge and secure with toothpick. Dust with pepper.
 
Stuffed Tomatoes
 
These colorful little appetizers pair quite well with an evening barbecue or a holiday feast. Be sure to make plenty; they are bound to disappear in a hurry. SERVES 4
12 cherry tomatoes
¼ cup minced scallions
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon minced garlic
½ cup finely chopped spinach
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
 
 
 
Slice off stems and tops of each tomato. Using a small melon ball scoop, remove seeds from tomatoes, leaving them hollowed.
 
In a small bowl, combine scallions, basil, oregano, garlic, and spinach. Heat oil in a small skillet over medium flame. Add mixture and sauté for two minutes, stirring constantly.
 
Remove from heat and cool for ten minutes. Spoon into tomatoes and garnish with fresh cilantro.
 
Veggie Virtuoso
 
A veggie appetizer allows you to start a meal off right. Your taste buds will sing with delight over this Paleo-perfect appetizer. SERVES 4
1 red bell pepper, quartered
1 yellow bell pepper, quartered
1 small red onion, quartered
1 medium zucchini, sliced lengthwise
1 medium yellow squash, sliced lengthwise
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil
 
 
 
Preheat oven to broil.
 
Combine vegetables in a bowl. Toss with oil, oregano, and garlic. Spread in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet.
 
Broil thirty minutes, stirring at halfway point. Remove from oven and sprinkle with basil.
 
Tropical Deviled Eggs
 
Everyone loves deviled eggs. These versatile treats are the perfect snack, packed with protein to keep your energy level at its best throughout the day. SERVES 4
4 hard-boiled omega 3 eggs, halved
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 tablespoon flaxseed oil
1 teaspoon ground ginger
Paprika, to taste
 
 
 
Remove yolks from eggs and place in a small mixing bowl. Add oils and ginger and mash together with a fork.
 
Using a small spoon, scoop the yolk mixture back into each egg half. Sprinkle with paprika.
 
Spicy Mixed Nuts
 
Making your own roasted nut mix allows you to be creative and confident that you are eating a Paleo-approved snack without the additives commonly found in the store-bought variety. MAKES 1½ CUPS
½ cup raw walnuts
½ cup raw brazil nuts
½ cup raw macadamia nuts
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
 
 
 
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
 
Combine nuts in a small bowl with oil, pepper, and nutmeg. Mix well. Place in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet.
 
Roast nuts for fifteen minutes, stirring at the halfway point. Remove from oven and let cool.
 
Stuffed Shrooms
 
Mushrooms are a versatile and delicious addition to any Paleo cuisine. Try this delectable hors d’oeuvre as a prelude to your next dinner with friends. SERVES 4
12 medium mushrooms
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, pressed
½ cup diced shallots
1 tablespoon dried minced onion
¼ cup white wine
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
 
 
 
Remove stems from mushrooms and finely chop. Set aside. Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium flame. Add garlic, shallots, and onion and sauté for two minutes while stirring. Pour in white wine and bring to a slight boil. Toss in chopped mushroom stems, basil, and oregano. Reduce heat to low and simmer for five minutes.
 
Remove from heat and drain off any excess liquid. Spoon into mushroom caps and top with fresh parsley.
 
Shrimp Skewers
 
Everyone loves a flavorful appetizer served on an easy-to-manage skewer. This omega 3-laden kebab will thrill the shrimp lovers at your festive dining table. SERVES 4
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, pressed
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon dried dill
¼ cup white wine
20 medium shrimp, peeled
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded, cut in eighths
20 cherry tomatoes
Juice from 1 lime
 
 
 
Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium flame. Add garlic, paprika, cayenne, and dill. Sauté for one minute while stirring.
 
Reduce heat to low. Pour in white wine and simmer for two minutes. Add shrimp, cover and continue cooking for ten minutes. Shrimp are done when pink, with no gray coloring.
 
Place shrimp in a small colander and drain excess liquid. Spear shrimp, yellow pepper, and tomato, alternating each until skewer is full. Drizzle each kebab with fresh lime juice.
 
5
 
Paleo Poultry
 
Poultry should be a major component of your Paleo
Diet menu, particularly if you can locate free-ranging birds that have access to grass, insects, and bugs. Check out Jo Robinson’s Web site,
www.eatwild.com
, to find a producer near you. Chicken most often comes to mind in creating poultry dishes, but don’t overlook turkey, duck, and goose, and even pheasant, quail, and dove fall into this appetizing category of meats. Grain-fed domestic ducks and geese are a lot like fatty feedlot-produced cattle: they are nutritionally inferior. Try to get the wild versions, if you can. The following three national suppliers specialize in wild poultry:
GAME SALES INTERNATIONAL
 
P.O. Box 7719
Loveland, CO 80537
(800) 729-2090
www.gamesalesinternational.com
 
 
 
POLARICA
 
105 Quint Street
San Francisco, CA 94124
(800) 426-3872
www.polarica.com
 
 
 
EXOTIC MEATS
 
1330 Capita Boulevard
Reno, NV 89502
(800) 444-5657
www.exoticmeatsandmore.com
 
Chicken and turkey are universally available, and because they are healthy and relatively inexpensive, make them a high-protein, low-fat staple in your diet. Chicken, with its moist white meat and savory dark meat, is a dinnertime delight that appeals to almost every diner, from a sophisticated gourmet to a finicky youngster.
 
Because it doesn’t overpower other ingredients, chicken can be incorporated into an incredible diversity of dishes. How about stir-fried with veggies, tossed into a salad, grilled on a barbecue, whole roasted as an entrée, or made into a stew, a soup, or an omelet? The combinations are endless. Use your imagination in creating both simple and complex dishes—you can’t go wrong with this bird.
 
You’ll often see chickens labeled as “fryers,” “broilers,” and “roasters.” Don’t worry about frying a broiler or broiling a fryer. These terms simply refer to the size of the whole chicken, with fryers being the smallest, followed by broilers and roasters, which are typically the most expensive. A three-pound whole chicken feeds between two and four people, depending on appetites and accompanying foods.
 
Whole chicken costs the least on a per-pound basis, because the more it is butchered and cut, the more expensive it becomes. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts reduce your preparation time, but you’ll pay extra. White meat is leaner and cooks more quickly, which makes it an excellent choice for quick sautés and grilling. Dark meat is less expensive, more flavorful, and great for stewing. If you can’t get free-ranging, pasture-raised chicken, avoid the fattier pieces of factory-produced chickens, such as wings, thighs, and legs.
 
Turkey is traditional at Thanksgiving, but Paleo Dieters should keep it in mind all year round. Am I asking you to take half a day out of your busy schedules and roast a turkey with all the fixings? Absolutely not. Skinless turkey breast makes a good meal and is incredibly lean. Contrast its total fat (5 percent) to the fat of even a very lean venison roast (19 percent), and you can fully appreciate that this cut of turkey is one of the highest-protein sources (94 percent) I know of.

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