Paleo Beef Stew and Mashed Cauliflower

I have been wanting to try to make some mashed cauliflower as a substitute for mashed potatoes and decided to pair it with a beef stew that was Paleo friendly since I happened to have all the ingredients on hand and wanted to bust out my crockpot. It was a perfect meal for a cold day.




Paleo Hearty Beef stew

Ingredients:

1.5 lb stewing beef
1 cup beef or chicken broth
1 onion, chopped
4 celery stalk, chopped
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
6 mashed cloves of garlic
1 can of tomato paste
Trader Joe’s 21 Salute seasoning and other seasonings
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Put veggies in pot, then add meat on top of veggies.
2. Season generously with salt, pepper, and seasonings.
3. Mix together soup stock and tomato paste. Pour over meat & vegetables in crockpot and stir to combine. Cook on low for 7 hours.



Mashed Cauliflower



Ingredients:

1 head cauliflower
4 cloves of garlic
1 tsp sea salt
2 tablespoons grassfed butter
¼ cup of coconut milk
¼ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Wash the cauliflower, remove leaves and bottom of stem and cut into large florets. Peel the garlic cloves. Place the florets and garlic cloves in a steamer basket inside a large stock pot with an inch or two of water. Salt liberally. Steam until soft (~10 minutes). You won’t over cook it.
2. Drain in a colander and place into food processor. Add pepper nutmeg, and butter.
3. Process everything until smooth.

Source: Beef Stew adapted from Everyday Paleo; Mashed Cauliflower adapted from Nom Nom Paleo

Paleo Chocolate Chili

It was a nice cool day and I decided to make some chili. I found this Paleo Chili recipe that used cocoa powder and thought that was a little different and gave it a try. I added some carrots and celery that I had received from my fruit and veggie deliver the other day. I also added kidney beans since I had some on hand, so it was not totally Paleo. It would have been fine without the beans as well. A recipe that is a definite keeper.

Paleo Chocolate Chili
Prep 20 min | Cook 2-3 hours | Serves 6-8

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 large red onions, diced (about 2 cups)
4 cloves garlic, minced (about 4 teaspoons)
2 pounds ground turkey
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon ground allspice (I used Traders Joe's 21 Salute Seasoning)
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ tsp black pepper
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced carrots
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes w/ juice
1 can (14.5 ounces) beef broth (I used chicken broth)
½ cup water

Directions:

1. Heat a large, deep pot over medium-high heat, then add the coconut oil. When the oil is melted, sauté veggies and add onions, stir and cook until onions are translucent, about 7 minutes. Add garlic and as soon as it’s fragrant, about 30 seconds, crumble the ground meat into the pan, mixing with the spoon to combine. Continue to cook the meat, stirring often, until it’s no longer pink.

2. In a small bowl, crush the oregano between your palms to release its flavor, then add the chili powder, cumin, cocoa, allspice, black pepper, and salt. Combine with a fork, then add to the pot, stirring like you mean it. Add tomato paste and stir until combined, about 2 minutes.

 3. Add the tomatoes with their juice, beef broth, and water to the pot. Stir well. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat so the chili enjoys a gentle simmer. Simmer uncovered for at least two hours. Do not skimp on the simmer! Serve in deep bowls with big spoons.


Source: Adapted from The Clothes Make the Girl (From cookbook: Well Fed: Paleo Recipes For People Who Love To Eat)

Banana Crumb Muffins

I volunteered to bake some muffins for Baby Bear's Preschool Harvest Sale. I decided to bakes some banana muffins since I had a bunch of bananas. Baby Bear really enjoyed the muffins!



Banana Crumb Muffins

Ingredients:
For the muffins:
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
3 bananas, mashed
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup butter, melted

For the topping:
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°. Lightly grease 10 muffin cups, or line with muffin papers.

 In a large bowl, mix together 1½ cups flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, egg, cinnamon and melted butter. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.

In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and cinnamon. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle topping over muffins.

Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.

Source: Annie's Eats

Cayenne-Rubbed Chicken with Avocado Salsa

I was in search of something to do with the really ripe avocado I had and this was a really tasty recipe from Martha Stewart. I wish I had taken a picture, but it was just so good I forgot.

Cayenne-Rubbed Chicken with Avocado Salsa

Ingredients

Coarse salt and ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, (6 to 8 ounces each)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium red onion, finely diced
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 Hass avocado, pitted and cut into chunks

Directions

In a small bowl, combine 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and cayenne; rub all over chicken.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium. Add chicken, and cook until browned on the outside and opaque throughout, 8 to 10 minutes per side.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine onion and lime juice; set aside. Just before serving, fold avocado chunks into onion mixture; season with salt and pepper. Serve chicken topped with salsa.

Recipe Source: Martha Stewart

Paleo Banana Muffins

So I have been doing a challenge that has me on a Paleo-like diet, which means no dairy, no grains, and no sugar. Well I have been craving some baked goods and went on a search for a Paleo muffin recipe. This one fit the bill and turned out pretty good.




Paleo banana muffins

Ingredients:
2 ripe bananas
3 eggs
4 Tbsp butter (or coconut oil)
splash of vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups almond meal
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1 cup pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place muffins cups in muffin tin and set aside.
 
In a large bowl, sift together almond meal, sea salt, baking soda, and cinnamon.

In a separate bowl, mashed the bananas, then add eggs, softened butter, and vanilla – mix well.

Add dry ingredients little by little into the wet ingredients. Add in chopped pecans. Stir until combined. 

Fill the baking cups about 3/4 full. Bake muffins for 15 minutes or insert a toothpick into the center and if it comes out clean.

Let cool for 5-10 minutes and enjoy!


Recipe Source: Adapted from Frisky Lemon Nutrition

Chocolate Birthday Cake

For my father-in-law's birthday, Baby Bear wanted to bake a cake. She wanted to bake him a chocolate cake. I have been trying out a lot of cake recipes from scratch, but found this recipe that doctors up a box recipe and since I had much of the ingredients already on hand I decided to give it a try. He requested whip cream frosting and so the birthday boy got what he wanted.

It was a very yummy cake for sure. I love the whipped cream frosting with the moist chocolate cake. Very yummy.



The Best Chocolate Cake Ever

1 box devil’s food cake mix
1 small pkg Jello instant chocolate pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a very large bowl, mix together everything except chocolate chips. Batter will be thick. Stir in the chocolate chips. Pour batter into cake pan of choice (I normally use two 9-inch pie pans). For cooking time, I use the cooking times on the back of the devil’s food cake box as a guide and usually add 10 mins to whatever it says. Then I do the toothpick check, and if it’s not done, I check on it every 5 mins after that. It usually takes around 45 mins for two, 9-inch pie pans.

Whipped Cream

8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla or vanilla paste
pinch of salt
2 cups heavy cream

When cake is cooled, place cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and salt in bowl of standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Whisk at medium high speed until light and fluffy for about 1-2 minutes, scraping down bowl as needed. Reduce speed to low and add heavy cream in a slow steady stream. When almost fully combined, increase speed to medium high and beat until mixture holds stiff peaks, 2 to 3 minutes more.  You should have a total of about 4 1/2 cups of the cream mixture when finished.

Recipe Source: Cake - http://www.kevinandamanda.com/recipes/dessert/the-best-chocolate-cake.html
Whipped Cream Frosting - What's Cooking, Chicago?

Vanilla Cake

Earlier this month, we volunteered to donate a cake for the cake walk at Baby Bear preschool fundraiser event. I decided to make a vanilla cake with cream cheese frosting. The thing is I have no idea if the cake was any good since, I never had the chance to sample it. I hope that whoever won the cake enjoyed it. I thought that it was the prettiest cake I've ever made.

I followed the directions to decorate the cake with the petal effect from Glorious Treats blog. I think it came out really nicely. The photo was take before the sprinkles that Baby Bear added.

Vanilla Cake

2 1/2 cups cake flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 Tablespoon vanilla extract (or 2 teaspoons extract, and 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste)

1 cup oil (vegetable, canola, or extra light olive oil)

1 cup buttermilk (can be made with 1 cup milk and 2 teaspoons vinegar or lemon juice, add acid to milk and set aside for 5 minutes before use)

Directions-

* Preheat oven to 350*F.

* Prepare cake pans (line the bottom of the pans with parchment paper, butter and flour the sides of the pans)

* In a medium bowl, add cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir together with whisk, and set aside.

* In the bowl of an electric mixer, add eggs and beat 10-20 seconds. Add sugar and continue to beat on medium speed about 30 seconds. Add vanilla and oil, beat.

* Reduce mixer speed to low and slowly add about half of the flour mixture. Add half of the milk, then the rest of the flour and the rest of the milk. Beat until just combined. Scrap down the side of the bowl.

* The batter will be thin. Pour batter into prepared cake pans.  

* Bake cakes until cake is slightly domed, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with only moist crumbs, no wet batter.  Depending on the size pans you use (6", 8" or 9"), the baking time will vary between 22-30 minutes. 

* Cool cakes about 10 minutes in pans, then remove from pans.  Wrap warm cakes in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil and place in freezer about 20 minutes.  This will help them cool fully, but stay nice and moist.

* Frost as desired when fully cool.

Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting

½ cup (1 stick/8 Tablespoons) butter (set at room temp about 10 minutes, but should still be cool)
8 oz. cream cheese (directly from fridge)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (always use pure vanilla extract if possible)
4 cups powdered confectioners sugar
1 to 4 Tablespoons heavy cream, heavy whipping cream (or milk- although I do like the richness that cream adds)

Directions:
*Place butter in a large mixing bowl and blend slightly. Add cream cheese and blend until combined, about 30 seconds.
*Add vanilla extract and powdered sugar and blend on low speed until combined. Increase to medium speed and beat until it begins to get fluffy.
*Slowly add the heavy cream, a little bit at a time until desired consistency is met. (Don't add too much if you want the frosting to stay in place when piped on cupcakes.)
*Beat until fluffy, about 1 minute.
*Use at once or keep refrigerated. (This frosting will keep well in the refrigerator for several days, but you may need to re-beat it for the best texture.)

Recipe Source: Cake - Glorious Treats
Frosting - Glorious Treats