Paleo Lunch: Asian Cucumber Bites

Appetizers, Asian, Chicken, Leftovers, Low-carb, Paleo

Eating Paleo can be very delicious and satisfying. However, planning meals and adhering to the “no dairy, no bread” diet can be a challenge. Personally I can follow Paleo for almost every meal, but I occasionally add a non-Paleo element to satisfy the masses. IMG_2055

The peanuts in this simple Asian Cucumber recipe aren’t Paleo, but my husband loves their flavor and crunch. So feel free to replace them with almonds or just omit them when you make this nice light lunch or pretty appetizer. These little guilt-free “bites” are perfect to pop into your watering mouth.

Using leftover or rotisserie chicken makes this recipe a snap. The key is to let the cooked chicken marinate in the ginger dressing for at least 30 minutes to absorb the flavors. Slice the cucumber and radishes thinly, and you can assemble this an hour ahead of time. This recipe serves one for lunch, but you can double or triple it if you are using it for an appetizer.

Ingredients

4 ounces shredded cooked chicken

8 cucumber slices, 1/8” to 1/4” thick

8 radish slices, 1/8” to 1/4” thick

2 tablespoons ginger dressing (I use Makoto)

2 tablespoons peanuts or almonds, chopped

Process

Marinate the shredded chicken with the ginger dressing for 30 minutes. Place one radish slice on top of one cucumber slice, then top with the shredded chicken and chopped peanuts. Enjoy!

Leftovers to Appetizers: Salmon Mousse Dip

Appetizers, Cedar Plank, Leftovers, meal plans, Salmon

Almost every time I make Cedar Plank Salmon I end up with a little bit of fish left over, usually around 1/4 pound. Sometimes I put it on my salad the next day for lunch, and IMG_1398 other times I like to make my salmon mousse dip. It’s a tasty appetizer or the perfect salmon spread for tea sandwiches.

I promise this dip isn’t fishy. It’s got a salmon flavor but it’s not overwhelming, and it’s not like smoked salmon. The cedar-flavored salmon makes this a light, delicious and elegant first course. But you can also make this with grilled or broiled salmon.

Follow the recipe below and feel free to improvise a bit. I usually have leftover fresh dill from making the cedar plank salmon but dried dill works well too. I also suggest chilling the mousse for at least 2 hours before serving so that it has a chance to thicken a bit.

The next time you’re cooking salmon, don’t throw away the extras! People who don’t even like fish dip enjoy this tasty treat and it serves four to six people as an appetizer. Try this dip once and you won’t waste leftover salmon ever again.

IngredientsIMG_1325

1/8 to 1/4 pound chilled cooked salmon, flaked with the skin and dark fatty parts removed

2/3 cup cream cheese, softened

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

1 scallion, white and green parts, chopped (about 2 tablespoons)

1 tablespoon capers, chopped

Juice of 1/2 lemon

2 tablespoons fresh or 1 tablespoon dried dill

1/2 teaspoon onion salt

Process

Combine the softened cream cheese with mayonnaise, lemon, dill, and onion salt. Add scallion and capers, mixing well. Incorporate the cold salmon. Chill at least 2 hours. Serve with crackers, bread or vegetables.

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Fee-fi-Pho-YUM!

Chicken, kale, Leftovers, Paleo, soup, Swiss chard, vegetables

I’ve wanted to lighten things up a bit this week, so I decided to try the Chicken Pho recipe out of my new favorite cookbook, Paleo By Season. Pho (actually pronounced “Fuh”) is a Vietnamese soup consisting of broth, herbs and meat. I’ve seen it served with noodles, but since I’m  trying to cut my carbohydrates, this recipe doesn’t include them.

The key to this dish is the delicious broth. I’m not asking you to make your own “stock” but take the time to make the pho broth below. The delicate flavors add a depth that you will surely miss if you skip that step. Plus, once the broth is prepared, this meal only takes 10 more minutes before it’s ready to serve.  IMG_0984

Trying out a new recipe also gave me the chance to buy some five-spice powder, which is a blend of anise, cloves, cinnamon, Sichuan peppers and fennel seeds. This spice combination is commonly used in Asian preparation, especially in Chinese cuisine. I’ve seen it referenced in recipes before and luckily it’s readily available at most grocery stores.

I used fresh Swiss chard (a leafy relative of spinach) in this perfect Paleo dish because it was on sale. You can use spinach or even kale, but due to kale’s toughness, you need to cook it longer. I think the Swiss chard is perfect because its flavor and texture are similar to that of bok choy.

I’m also using leftover pulled chicken from the night before. Although it didn’t meet my “Meatless Monday” goal, its simplicity is a nice way to start off the week. This soup makes me feel like I’m reversing some of my previous weekend fun (I’m glad you can’t see my recycling bin!), and it encourages me to eat light to feel light.

 

Pho Broth

Ingredients  IMG_0939

1 small yellow onion with only the outer skin removed, cut in half

1 (2-inch) piece of fresh ginger, unpeeled

1 tablespoon five-spice powder

1 jalapeno, halved and seeded

8 cups chicken broth

 

Cooking

Broil onion and ginger in either the oven, grill or toaster oven for 20 minutes, slightly charring them. You want to make sure the outside of the onion and ginger turn brown. Place them with the halved jalapeno and five-spice powder in a pot and cover with the chicken broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove the onion, jalapeno and ginger from the broth and discard. Use the broth immediately or cover for later.

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Chicken Pho

Ingredients   IMG_0966

Pho broth (see above)

1-1/2 to 2 cups pulled chicken

1 cup thinly sliced carrots

1/2 cup thinly sliced radish

1 cup white or button mushrooms, quartered

2 cups Swiss chard, spine removed IMG_0957

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 small jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced for garnish (optional)

1/2 cup cilantro leaves, for garnish (optional)

3 tablespoons green onions, thinly sliced for garnish (optional)

1 lime, cut into wedges

 

Cooking

Bring pho broth to a simmer over medium heat. Once it’s at a gentle simmer, add the carrots, radishes, mushrooms, and Swiss chard. Cook for 8 minutes. Stir in the sesame oil. Divide chicken among 4 bowls and top with broth and vegetables. Squeeze a wedge of lime over each bowl and use garnishes of your choice.

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Winter Vegetable Medley

Leftovers, Paleo, roasting, side dish, sunday supper, tips, vegetables

Parsnips and butternut squash abound this time of year, but it can be hard to come up with ideas to incorporate them. Most people haven’t cooked parsnips before and aren’t sure where to start. Parsnips look somewhat like white carrots, and you peel them the same way, but they have a distinct root vegetable flavor.

I am always trying to find ways to reduce the starches and incrIMG_0483ease the vegetables we eat. Butternut squash is one of those wonderful vegetables that has a similar texture and taste of a sweet potato, but isn’t as sugary. It doesn’t get stringy or watery like other types of squash sometimes do, so it really stands up to roasting.

With a couple of Yukon gold potatoes, these winter vegetables bake together and caramelize nicely. Even children don’t seem to notice how many vegetables they’re enjoying, so that’s another win when feeding a family.

This side dish recipe easily feeds four to six people. I was only serving three, so I wound up with enough left over for the next night. It’s really nice to have a significant part of today’s meal already completed. This savory vegetable and potato medley worked great with the pompano fish I grilled last night, and I’m sure it will pair perfectly with roasted lamb chops this evening.

 

Ingredients

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 shallot, chopped

2 medium Yukon gold potatoes

1 medium butternut squash

4 parsnips

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon thyme

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

 

Cooking

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel parsnips like you would peel a carrot, then slice into 1/4-inch slices. Remove the skin from the squash by carefully cutting between the skin and the orange flesh. Then remove the seeds and stringy inside, like you would if you were cleaning out a pumpkin. Then cut squash into 1/2-inch chunks. Cut potatoes into 1/2-inch chunks as well.

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Mix the minced garlic and shallots with the parsnips, squash and potatoes in a large bowl. Add olive oil, salt, garlic powder, white pepper and thyme and stir. Place the medley on a greased cookie sheet in single layer. Bake for 20 minutes and stir.

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Bake for another 15 minutes. Pour balsamic vinegar over the vegetables and gently combine. Cook for 5 more minutes and serve when ready.

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Chicken Enchiladas

Chicken, Leftovers, meal plans, Mexican, sunday supper, tips

I’m not a huge fan of leftovers in their original form, but I enjoy making another meal with the remainders. My chicken enchiladas are a good example of this practice. By using leftover shredded Mexican chicken, I can throw together a meal that looks almost professional. Assembling the enchiladas is easy, and I like to serve them with some yellow rice. Start the rice just before you place the enchiladas in the oven and everything will be done at the same time. Enjoy!

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Supplies You Will Need

9×13 baking dish

 

Ingredients

1-2 cups leftover Mexican chicken

1-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

10 oz. can of enchilada sauce (I use Old El Paso)

6-8 tortilla shells from the night before

.5 oz. package of saffron yellow rice

 

Cooking

Preheat oven to 425°F. Spray baking dish with cooking spray and spread 1/4 cup of enchilada sauce on the bottom.

Carefully assemble the enchiladas by placing 2 to 3 tablespoons of chicken in the center of each tortilla shell. Top with a little cheese and fold one side over the other. Place the enchilada seam side down in the baking dish. Repeat until the pan is full. The enchiladas should touch each other but not be crammed in.

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Bake for 15 minutes. Top with 1/4 cup of enchilada sauce and 1/2 cup of cheese and cook for another 10 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly. Feel free to top these with any of the traditional taco toppings. Serve with rice and enjoy!

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