Herbed Up Pork Roast-Paleo and Whole 30

Now that you are pledging to eat healthier after your New Year’s detox, try this amazing recipe.  Whether you are doing a Whole30 or just looking to try a new roast, this is gooooooood!

This is my favorite way to roast a pork tenderloin.  The potatoes are crispy and the marinade is delicious.  I’ve also used this same recipe with a roast chicken and it is just as good.  Not as great with beef roast, however.

Ingredients

Pork tenderloin roast 2-5 lbs.

1 cup white wine or white/champagne vinegar

3 sprigs each of the herbs: parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme

5 cloves of garlic, this is not too much

1/4 cup olive, avocado or ghee

8-10 small red or white potatoes

salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat the oven at 400 degrees F.

Spray a 9×12 roasting pan with non stick spray.

Slice potatoes in half and place flat side down, covering the entire roasting pan. DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP! This seriously makes the recipe different from all other roast dinners.

Wash and pat dry the roast and place on top of the potato bed.

In a blender add the wine, oil, herbs, garlic, a dash of salt and pepper.  Blend on high for about 30 seconds.

Pour the marinade over the roast and potatoes.  Let stand for 30 minutes (sometimes I put it straight in the oven and it turns out fine)

Sprinkle the roast with salt and pepper before putting it in the oven.

Roast until the internal temperature reaches 145, this is about 40 minutes depending on your oven.

Happy Thanksgiving

There is one way to ensure losing weight.  Remove carbs and alcohol from your daily intake.  On Thanksgiving, I don’t follow this rule, but I do try to keep the sugar out of my cocktail and in my pie.

My go-to drink on special occasions is a vodka tonic with a small slice of fruit.  Lime, orange, lemon, blueberries, and during the holidays I throw in some frozen cranberries.  This is, of course, when I have forgotten to stock the fridge with prosecco.  Also not a diet drink.

Here is a fun guide for diet drinks.  Have a safe and happy holiday.

Turkey White Bean Chili

Perfect for turkey leftovers!

Turkey White Bean Chili

• Rinse and drain beans before you begin
• 4 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 pounds shredded or diced cooked turkey
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 clove garlic, crushed with a press
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• Two 15 to 19-ounce cans white kidney beans (cannellini), rinsed and drained, I will often do a can of black beans and a can of white beans just for fun
• One 16-ounces of your favorite salsa, if you don’t like your salsa, you won’t like your soup
• One 14 to 28 ounces chicken broth or stock, depending on how thick you like it
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish, optional
• 1 avocado for garnish, optional

Add 2 teaspoons oil with the garlic and onions to the Dutch oven, and cook on medium heat until browned, stirring occasionally, 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the cumin, oregano, cinnamon and cayenne pepper, and cook 1 minute. Add the beans, salsa, broth and leftover turkey, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and let the chili simmer for 15 minutes. To serve, garnish with cilantro.

Karina’s Birthday Soup-Chicken White Bean Chili

Don’t tell her I posted this… Today is Karina’s 18th birthday and this is her favorite soup.  Also don’t tell her this is part of the 4 Hour Body diet.  This soup is SOUP-er quick and easy!  This feels less like a chili to me and more like a soup with beans.

Original recipe is from the Cooking Channel website found here.

Chicken White Bean Chili

• Rinse and drain beans before you begin
• 4 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 pounds ground chicken
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 clove garlic, crushed with a press
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• Two 15 to 19-ounce cans white kidney beans (cannellini), rinsed and drained, I will often do a can of black beans and a can of white beans just for fun
• One 16-ounces of your favorite salsa, if you don’t like your salsa, you won’t like your soup
• One 14 to 28 ounces chicken broth or stock, depending on how thick you like it
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish, optional
• 1 avocado for garnish, optional

In a large pot, heat 1 teaspoon oil on medium-high until very hot. Sprinkle the chicken with 1 teaspoon salt. Add the chicken to the Dutch oven in two batches, and cook until the chicken is no longer pink, stirring occasionally, about 6 minutes per batch, and adding 1 teaspoon more oil for the second batch. With a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a medium bowl once it is done.

After all the chicken is cooked, add the remaining 2 teaspoons oil with the garlic and onions to the Dutch oven, and cook on medium heat until browned, stirring occasionally, 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the cumin, oregano, cinnamon and cayenne pepper, and cook 1 minute. Add the beans, salsa, broth and browned chicken, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and let the chili simmer for 15 minutes. To serve, garnish with cilantro.

Creamy Brussels and Wine

I love this.  This is the veggie dish that is on our table for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter and the selected birthday.  Creamy and different with a hit of Marsala wine.  This one also takes a little time but it is worth every minute of preparation.  Feel free to split the preparation into two days.  Clean and chop the brussels and prosciutto the day before to make it easier.

Brussels Sprouts with Marsala wine, Prosciutto, Parmesan (Non-Paleo)

3 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, cut into slivers
1 1/2 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
2 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cup light cream (half and half)
3 tablespoons Marsala wine
3/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and prosciutto and cook for 2 minutes, tossing. Add Brussels sprouts and continue to cook for 5 minutes.

Stir in flour and toss to coat sprouts.

Gradually stir in cream and Marsala. Slowly alternating between the two to incorporate. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and let simmer until sprouts are tender, about 12-15 minutes.

Remove from heat.

Add nutmeg and season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in 1/4 cup only of the divided parmesan cheese just until cheese is melted.
Transfer mixture to an oval baking dish and top with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan. Bake until bubbly and top is slightly browned, about 20 minutes. Serve hot.

Sage, Sausage, Apple Stuffing

Sage, Sausage and Apple Stuffing (Non-Paleo)

This recipe is directly from the Food Network website.  I added some herbs to kick up the flavor.  Sometimes, during the winter, I make this for dinner just for fun.

Ingredients

16 -ounce bag stuffing cubes

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan and topping

1 pound fresh sage sausage, casing removed (I use plain pork sausage and add a teaspoon of sage while it is cooking)

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cooking apples, such as Granny Smith, peeled, cored, and chopped

1 to 2 ribs celery with leaves, chopped

1 clove minced garlic

1 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon sage

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon course black pepper

a dash of fresh nutmeg

3 cups chicken broth, homemade or low-sodium canned

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1/2 cup walnut pieces, optional (I don’t use them)

2 eggs, beaten

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Put the stuffing cubes in a large bowl and set aside. Butter a 3-quart casserole dish.

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and break up with a wooden spoon. Cook until it loses most of its pink color, but not so much that it’s dry, about 5 minutes. Add the sausage and pan drippings to the stuffing cubes. Melt the remaining butter in the pan. Add the onion, apple, celery, and salt. Cook until the vegetables get soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, broth and all spices and bring to a boil for another 5 minutes.

Pour the vegetable mixture over the stuffing cubes and toss until evenly moistened. Mix in the nuts if using, and eggs. Loosely pack the dressing in the prepared pan and cook uncovered until the top forms a crust, about 40 minutes. Drizzle about 2 tablespoons of turkey pan drippings or melted butter over the top. Cook until the top is crisp and golden, about 20 minutes more. Set immediately or warm.

Turkey Gravy-non-paleo

This is how we roux it!  I started with an old Bobby Flay recipe and then tried Ina Garten’s  homemade gravy.  I blended the two, threw in some additions and came up with this recipe.  Ina Garten’s technique of sautéing the onions in butter until the onions are soft is what makes this gravy amazing.  It really sets it apart from the standard quickie that Granny did right before serving the turkey.  This one takes time and it is worth it.

Homemade Gravy (Non-Paleo)

First Step:

Boil two turkey wings in 2-1/2 cups stock or broth, simmer to cook the juices out 1-2 hours.  I often throw in some celery ribs with leaves, whole garlic cloves in the skin, thyme, parsley and sage leaves from the garden and some black pepper. No salt.  After two hours, strain and return liquid to low heat.

Step Two:

In a large pot simmer 1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter and 1-1/2 cups diced onions (usually 2 med-large).  Cook until the onions are completely cooked and soft, usually around 15-20 minutes.  Do not skip this step. This important step with real butter or ghee will give the gravy an amazing flavor.

Step Three: The Roux

I consider this the most important skill in the kitchen.  Equal parts flour to butter. Sprinkle the flour in to the pan with onions, whisk to incorporate, then add 1 teaspoon thyme, 1 teaspoon sea salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.  Cook 2-3 minutes on a soft boil.  Slowly add 2 cups of the hot strained chicken stock that you made in step 1.  Cook uncovered for 4-5 minutes until it begins to thicken.  Add 1 tablespoon white wine and 1 tablespoon heavy cream.  Season to taste.

Ingredients List

2 Turkey Wings from your local butcher counter

2-4 cups stock depending on your desired thickness

1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter

1-1/2 cups chopped yellow onion (about 2 medium onions)

1/4 cup plain white flour

1 teaspoon thyme (or sage or parsley)

1 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon white wine

1 tablespoon heavy cream

Curried Carrot Soup

This soup is best after a cold, muddy run, but we eat it on any cool day throughout the year.  When the squash is finished in the garden, we switch to carrots.  The original recipe is from EatingWell, but of course we have made some changes to apply our personal flavor profiles, a.k.a. garlic.  There are a few steps to this soup, but the flavor is worth the work on a frosty night.

CURRIED CARROT SOUP

4 Tablespoons fat of choice (Ghee for Paleo and Whole30), Olive or  Avocado Oil. I prefer Kerry Gold butter.

4 teaspoons mild curry powder

2 lbs. carrots

4 medium stalks celery

1 medium onion

1 bulb garlic, cloves peeled and stemmed

5 cups chicken stock

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

fresh ground black pepper

1 dash chili powder

Directions

Put carrots, celery, onion, garlic in a large food processor until they are chopped finely to the size of peas.  You may have to do this in two batches.  Set aside in a bowl.

Cook oil and curry powder in a large pot over medium heat stirring constantly until fragrant.  About 1-2 minutes only. Pour in the vegetable mixture and stir to coat.  Cook, stirring frequently for 10 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.  Stir in stock and bring to a boil.  reduce heat and simmer until the vegetables are very tender, about 10 minutes.  Remove from heat; let stand 10 minutes.

Working in batches of no more than 2 cups at a time, transfer the soup to a blender (or use a stick blender) and puree. I use a Vitamix.  Pour pureed soup to a separate bowl.  Repeat this step until the soup is all pureed.  Carefully return the pureed soup to the pot and place over low heat.  Just before serving add the lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste.

 

 

Cabbage Patch Revisited-Paleo, 4HB and Whole 30 Compliant

This soup is versatile and falls under the category of the Cabbage Patch or Kitchen Sink type soups that are a traditional favorite.

To make it 4HB compliant, add a can of your favorite beans and leave out the carrots.

For Whole 30, add some potato or sweet potatoes.

For Paleo, throw in some left over bacon or random protein from yesterdays meal.

Country Cabbage Beef Soup

1 pound organic ground beef (ground turkey, chicken, pork also work)

2 cloves minced garlic

1 small onion chopped

1 cup large diced potato, if using

28 ounces diced tomatoes (I use canned)

1 pound chopped cabbage

2 stalks celery

2 carrots (leave these out if you are following any of the above diets)

2-4 cups chicken stock, depending on your desired thickness

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon course ground black pepper

1 teaspoon dried thyme

Optional spices: 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 dash of cayenne pepper

Instructions:

In a large pot, brown meat just until cooked, add onion, garlic, carrots (if using them) and celery and potatoes (if using them).  Let cook for additional 5 minutes.  Add stock, cabbage, diced tomato and spices.  Let simmer on low for 30 minutes.  Taste and adjust spices to your liking.  Serve when veggies are all cooked thoroughly.

This is great the next day as well!

Farley, The Superstitious Learner

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su-per-sti-tious learn-ing: Formation of beliefs about cause and effect based on observation without knowledge. Often happens when correlation is confused with cause and effect. Appears to be accompanied by a tendency to ignore variation, to interpret each result as if it came from a single cause and to ignore delays between actions and effects.

A few years back we had a canine behaviorist come to the house for a one-on-one session with our special needs dog Cosmo. It was not cheap.  However, this specialist (really difficult not to put quote marks around that) soon shifted her focus from the student we hired her to apply her vast expertise for, to Farley the younger, better looking, aussie/border collie mix.  Because the boys were so bonded, we didn’t dare separate them while the visitor was in the house.

After a few exercises with Cosmo where Farley subsequently mirrored everything that was asked, the paid guest could not remove her focus from Farley.  She gave Farley a few commands and after watching him repeat his response the exact same way each time, she blurted out “He’s a superstitious learner!”.

My husband and I looked at each other with that knowing look.  We were frustrated.  Cosmo wasn’t getting the attention he needed.  We weren’t getting the answers we needed and we were again left on our own with our special needs dog.

But Farley!  He’s great. Everybody loves Farley.  Sigh.

Farley has been an extraordinary experience after having Cosmo.  Farley learned everything faster, more exact, and with more vigor than any other dog I’ve known.  But what in the world is a superstitious learning dog?  We were baffled.  The lovely ladies’ explanation was that once Farley had been taught something, he did it the exact same way every time.  Every. Time.  Since I’ve learned this about him, I’ve tried to re-teach him things.  It doesn’t work.  If I want him to stand 4 steps behind me on a “wait” I have to teach the 4 step version with a new command name.  If he hears “back” he takes exactly three steps every time.  Ok.  I want 5 steps now. Now the command is “all the way back”.  Now I get the 5 steps I’m looking for.

The take-away, of course, is that I need to be on my game when I’m training. Farley has forced me to be a better trainer.  I’m still wonky and lax, but he keeps me in line.  If I am not exact, he’s going to give me exactly what he thinks I want.  If I am precise, Farley is going to perform.  He’s very patient with me.  The best running partner and the most amazing friend.  I love him for his silly, sloppy kisses and for how much he loves me.

Thank you to Heather from Flying Ace Puppy School for all the amazing classes.

The said behavioral specialist will remain unnamed.

Love,

Doggie Mommy of Three

Fabulous Farley

Little Nellie “Nels Bells” Bear

Cosmonaut “Cosmo” , the blind, kooky, special needs guy with a huge heart