Chicken and not-noodles

Today we were meant to be going to a 'bring and share' birthday lunch, where each family brings a savoury plate and a dessert.  However, due to the snowy weather we abandoned this, as most of us would have had a long journey on snowy or icy roads.

Instead, I tried a new recipe I had found on Pinterest, Chicken and noodles from The Pioneer Woman.  The suggestion was that to paleo it, use grated courgettes instead of the noodles, and use arrowroot to thicken it instead of flour. 

The recipe is not hard, although it takes some time to boil the chicken and the bones.  However, we found there was far too much liquid, although it tasted fine.  The next time, after making the bone broth, I would think it would be best to take half of the stock out of the pan for another meal, and then follow the recipe as followed.  This would make a thicker stew-like dish instead of a soup.

As you can see, it madea large amount - that's a 5 litre pan!

 

Curried fish chowder with paleo croutons

We tend to eat fish a couple of times a week, but the limitation on making this fish stew is I have only found one place in Swindon that I can buy plantains.  In fact, when I asked in Sainsbury's, you would have thought that I was asking for ostrich or octopus (actually, I think you can buy that there).  Anyway, it seems that only the large Asda stores stock plantain.

My only concern of eating Curried fish chowder is the shortage of vegetables, so you may want to serve it with a salad or fruit.  We had previously had a large pot of vegetable soup, so I felt it balanced out over the day.  It is quite quick as long as you remember to thaw the fish.  I buy big one kilo bags of pollack, which are just right for this.  I start frying the crou-tains at the same time as I put the fish in the pot, and it all seems to come together.

[Edit - I now shred cabbage, cook quickly in the microwave and add to the chowder to add extra vegetable]

Easy Butternut Squash Soup

We had snow yesterday, and the boys had a 'snow day', so no school.  It seemed a good idea to make some hot soup for lunch.  Butternut squash soup is very tasty, and made this way is very simple.

I will load up a sequence of how to make the soup, once I have some photos of each step.  My computer does not have a memory card reader, so I have to wait for them to be moved over from another machine.

Stuffed peppers

This came from a recipe intended to be cooked in a slowcooker, so we have changed it a certain amount.
The portion sizes, we have found are about right, but you could just as easily use a whole pepper per person.

Stuffed peppers

2 large peppers
750g pork mince
half a cauliflower
2 onions
2 carrots
2 tsps garlic, crushed or chopped
3 tbsp tomato puree
2 tbsp plus 2 tsp dried mixed herbs
400g tin of chopped tomatoes

Put the cauliflower, carrot and one onion through the food processor until you have a crumb-like mixture.
Using a LARGE bowl, mix together these vegetables with 1 tsp garlic, 2 tbsp mixed herbs, the tomato puree and the minced pork.
Cut the peppers in half lengthways, so you make 4 'boats'.
Pack the meat mixture into the peppers.  Any left can be made into meatballs or patties.
Place the peppers (and meatballs) into a cooking dish that is a snug fit, so they hold each other up.
Cook at 190C for one hour.
While the peppers are cooking, prepare the tomato sauce.
Into a small pan, put the tin of tomatoes, 1 tsp garlic, one onion and 2 tsp mixed herbs.
Cook gently for about 20 minutes, so it is slightly thick.
Serve one pepper boat, with quarter of any meatballs, with tomato sauce.

In the dish

and with tomato sauce

Teriyaki chicken with cauli-rice pilaff

This is a simple way of serving chicken, although some people would consider that it isn't strict paleo - it certainly isn't suitable for whole30

Teriyaki chicken is made with a marinade.  A marinade needs to have vinegar and oil in it, and ideally to 'soak' into the meat for several hours.  If you are organised, you can mix up the marinade, bag the meat up with it and freeze it in advance.  It can then be marinading, while it defrosted.

Teriyaki Chicken

600-800g boneless skinless chicken pieces, cut into bite size chunks
1 clove of garlic, chopped or crushed
4 tbsp honey
150ml soy sauce
4 tbsp water
1.5 tsp ground ginger
3 tbsp olive oil
3-4 tbsp vinegar or white wine

Combine the marinade ingredients.  If you are going to freeze/chill this, place in a ziplock bag with the chicken.  If you are going to cook the chicken within the next few hours, you could put it into the cooking dish, if you have space to chill it while it soaks.

To cook:  Thaw if frozen.  Cook in oven at 180 C for 40-45 minutes; 30 minutes covered and then 10-15 uncovered.  Ensure the chicken chunks are cooked.  Use the marinade as a sauce over the cauli-rice.

Cauli-rice pilaf

I don't know where I got my recipe for cauli-rice pilaf, as I don't seem to find it again.  When I find it, I am happy to credit that source.

1 head of cauliflower, pulsed in food processor until rice-like
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp lard
2 carrots, grated
3 salad onions, sliced
1 clove of garlic, crushed or chopped
1 small onion, diced
1 tsp vegetable boullion
100g mushrooms, diced

Melt oils and add carrots, onions and garlic.  Saute until fragrant, about 3 minutes. 
Add mushrooms and cook 2-3 minutes.
Add cauli-rice, then boullion.  Stir to combine.  Add 2 tbsp of water to prevent it burning onto the pan.
Cook gently for about 5 minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste.
Very filling

Pork burgers

Tonight's dinner was Pork burgers from Everyday Paleo.  As I don't have fresh basil, I just used a large amount of dried mixed herbs.  We aren't keen on mayo, so just missed that bit.

My son was very keen about the mushrooms and anything that encourages vegetables is good.  I have also discovered that leaving a bowl of chopped raw carrot sticks on the counter helps him to up his veggie portions, as he would prefer sweets and chocolates.

Cheesy fish fillets

A simple fish dish that is quick to prepare.

This is best done using the fish fillets that come frozen in a box.  Unfortunately, they come with six in a box, and we need eight, so we have to buy two boxes.

This will serve four people, although you need to be generous with the veggies as fish is not hugely filling.

8 x 100g fish fillets - defrosted
sea salt
lemon juice
1 small onion, chopped
1 tsp dried sage
butter
sliced or grated cheese (use real cheese not those horrible processed slices)

Preheat the oven to 180C, 350F
Sprinkle fish with salt and lemon juice, and place in a buttered dish that just accommodates them.
Sprinkle with onion and sage and bake for 10 minutes.
Place cheese over fish, dot with butter and bake for another 10 minutes, until cheese is melted and the fish flakes easily.