10-Minute Side Dish: Peas, Red Onion & Bacon

10 minute side dish, Dijon, Herbs, Lamb, Paleo, Pancetta, Peas, pork, Turkey Bacon, vegetables

I love green peas. They’re bright, delicious little pops of goodness in my mouth. Trying to follow a Paleo diet means maximizing my vegetable dishes because I don’t eat the traditional sides like rice that we’ve become accustomed to consuming. IMG_2779

This peas and bacon recipe will make anyone a pea lover. The cured meat fat combined with the freshness of the peas and red onion is delightful. It works great paired with pork, lamb or chicken, especially when the protein is marinated in my Dynamite Dijon recipe.

This side dish’s surprise ingredient is mint. Its light and refreshing flavor is unexpected and perfect with the richness of the bacon and the sweetness of the red onion and peas. Don’t be afraid to add it! Your family and guests will be truly surprised by how much they love the touch of mint in this dish.

I’m happy to use frozen green peas, and that makes this even easier because I can keep them on hand. The amount of bacon (or you can easily substitute pancetta or even turkey bacon) is minimal – only 2 ounces. That’s only about 2 to 3 slices. Ask your butcher or deli for just a few slices of whatever cured meat you choose, and that way you don’t feel compelled to buy a pound in the traditional pre-packaging.

Ingredients

2 ounces bacon, pancetta or turkey bacon (if using turkey bacon, add 1 tablespoon of ghee, coconut oil or olive oil to the pan when cooking)

1/2 red onion or 1 large shallot, sliced IMG_2763

1 garlic clove, chopped

10 oz. bag or box of frozen peas

2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves, chopped

1/2 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Process

Cut bacon or pancetta into small strips or chunks. Cook in large skillet over medium-high heat for 3 minutes, stirring regularly. Add the red onion or shallot and continue to sauté for another 5 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium and add the frozen peas. Stir and add the salt and pepper. Cook for 5-7 minutes until the peas are tender and bright green. Turn off heat, add mint, and stir. Serve hot and enjoy!

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Summertime Marinades: Soy Spring

Chicken, grilling, Marinade, Paleo, pork, Seafood, Shellfish

The Soy Spring recipe below works with virtually all food. Those strictly adhering to a Paleo diet can easily substitute Coconut Aminos for the soy sauce. However, for me, the amount is so small and it’s used as a marinade so I’m okay with cheating a little bit. IMG_2702

Soy Spring (best with vegetables, chicken, seafood, pork or thick-cut steak)

Ingredients

1 tablespoon of rice wine vinegar (apple cider vinegar can be substituted)

1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce (Coconut Aminos can be substituted)

2 tablespoons sweetener (local honey, agave or raw sugar)

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and grated or finely chopped (1/2 teaspoon of dried ginger can be substituted)

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Process

Mix ingredients together in a bowl and place your protein into the mixture, and cover with lid or plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least an hour and up to 24 hours. Steak is the only exception, and it should only marinate for 30 minutes. Grill at 425 degrees until cooked through.

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Pork al Pastor? Yes, Please!

Lettuce wraps, Mexican, Paleo, Pineapple, pork

I came across this traditional northern Mexico dish in one of my Paleo-inspired cookbooks, Paleo By Season by Peter Servold. It was so delicious that I immediately  wrote down my modified version. I’m pretty sure my family kept saying that it was just so good, but it was hard to tell since they were talking between bites of food. IMG_1657

The key to this dish is to let the meat marinate overnight, and to use a hot, dry pan to cook it. Do not add oil to the pan because the browning of the pork is what makes this truly amazing. The pork is the star, and it really shines with this combination of flavors.

Because we strive to follow a Paleo diet, I serve this with lettuce cups instead of the traditional corn tortilla. I also add fresh chopped toppings including white onion, cilantro and lime wedges. I’m sure this pork pastor would be equally delicious on a salad or over seasoned vegetables.

The meat only cooks for 12-15 minutes so do the garnish prep-work early. You only want to stir the meat a few times while it cooks to ensure even browning. Serve right away and enjoy it while it lasts. This recipe should serve four people, but my family of three licked the plate clean.

Ingredients

1 to 1-1/2 pounds of pork tenderloin, cut into 1/2” pieces IMG_1602

1 jalapeno pepper, cut in half and seeded

1 cup pineapple, chopped

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon chili pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

(ingredients for servingIMG_1627

Butter lettuce cups

1 small white onion, finely chopped

1/2 cup cilantro leaves, chopped

1 lime, cut into wedges

Process

Combine all the ingredients from the first list in a bowl, cover with a lid or plastic wrap, and let the mixture marinate for 10 to 24 hours in the refrigerator.

When ready to cook, remove the pork mixture and set it aside for about 15 minutes to help bring it closer to room temperature. Heat a large, dry saute pan over medium-high heat. Add all of the marinated pork mixture and evenly cover the bottom of the pan. Cook for 12-15 minutes, stirring every few minutes to make sure it doesn’t burn. However, don’t over stir in order to brown the meat perfectly. Serve immediately with lettuce cups and garnishes.

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Iowa Tenderloin, Florida-Style

Arugula, Paleo, Pan fry, pork
Pork_tenderloin_sandwich

“Pork tenderloin sandwich” by Glane23 – Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0

I recently visited my husband’s family in the Midwest for our niece’s graduation. While in his hometown we had several traditional meals that were anything but Paleo. One of these famous heartland favorites is the “tenderloin.”

This is basically a breaded and fried pork chop sandwich. No actual tenderloin meat is  used (as far as I can tell) and usually people leave off the word “sandwich” when they order the “tenderloin.” From what I hear, Indiana and Iowa both think they make the best tenderloin.

But enough semantics. This tasty pork sandwich got me thinking about how to make it as Paleo as possible while respecting the dish’s tradition. First things first – get rid of IMG_2052that bun. Secondly, let’s pan fry instead of deep fry. Thirdly, let’s figure out how to add some greens. Voila! A Florida girl’s answer to a Midwest favorite.

Pounding the pork chop to 1/4″ thickness is the key to this recipe. Ask the meat department to “tenderize” the pork chop or you can beat the pork chop with a mallet until it’s 1/4″ thick. The result is a crispy, tender pork chop that the whole family will want to eat.

This dish doesn’t fully adhere to Paleo, but it gets pretty close. Chicken breasts can be a substitute for those who don’t eat pork. The Midwest purists will be shocked at my addition of arugula and lemon, but I don’t care! The combination is elegantly delicious and reminiscent of my husband’s roots.

Ingredients

4 boneless pork chops, pounded or tenderized to 1/4” thickness IMG_2036

1/2 cup almond flour or regular all-purpose flour

1 egg, beaten and mixed with 2 tablespoons of water

1 cup Italian-style breadcrumbs

2 tablespoons butter or ghee

3 tablespoons olive oil

4 cups arugula

4 lemon wedges

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Process     

Take the flour, egg mixture and breadcrumbs, place each in its own shallow bowl, and create a “bowl assembly line” to bread the pork chops. Gently dip each pounded pork chop in the flour, shaking off any excess. Then dip into the egg wash, then into the breadcrumbs, making sure the ingredients adhere well to the pork chop.

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In a large pan, heat one tablespoon of butter or ghee and one tablespoon of oil over medium to medium-high heat. Cook two pork chops at a time, for 4-6 minutes per side, allowing them to get brown and crispy.

Remove pork chops from pan and place them on a plate. Loosely cover with foil, and repeat the process with the remaining two pork chops.

When the second set of pork chops is ready, combine arugula, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper in a separate bowl.

Top each pork chop with a cup of arugula mixture and serve with a lemon wedge.

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Pork Chops with Black-Eyed Peas and Kale

black-eyed peas, food, grilling, kale, pork, spices, sunday supper, tips, vegetables

I have a confession: I don’t like kale. Gasp! I know it was all the rage, and I’ve really tried to enjoy it since it’s kale season. I’ve sautéed it with garlic and good olive oil. I’ve bought kale chips and went as far as making a batch of them myself at home. I’ve sliced it thin and added it to my salads, but I just can’t get on board with the tough, chewy texture of the leaves. That is until last weekend when I added it to my black-eyed peas and voila! Deliciousness!

This black-eyed peas recipe goes great with seasoned pork chops. Start the peas early because they take about an hour and 30 minutes, and I suggest using a 5-quart pot because the four to six cups of kale take up some space initially.

One secret to this recipe is a special spice mix made by Tasty Licks BBQ Company. I have four favorite combinations, and I’ve included a picture here. For this meal I use some of the “Flyin’ Swine Pork Rub” and “Mella Yella.” Not only do I use them for the pork chop rub and marinade, but I also add the “Flyin Swine” to the black-eyed peas.IMG_0006

It’s no problem if you don’t have any Tasty Licks seasonings. Just mix a 1/4 cup of brown sugar with a teaspoon each of chili powder, black pepper, onion powder, lemon pepper and garlic salt. This mix replaces the Flyin’ Swine and Mella Yella. If pork isn’t your thing, try this with chicken breasts.

Below I’ve included recipes for the black-eyed peas and pork chops, and this meal serves four adults. Don’t be startled by the list of ingredients! Everything but the pork chops cook together so I consider this a one-pot recipe that’s jammed full of vegetables.

 

Black-Eyed Peas IngredientsIMG_0021

1/4 pound chopped pancetta

1 cup chopped celery

1-1/2 cups chopped carrots

1 large onion, chopped

4 to 6 cups chopped kale

1-pound bag of frozen black-eyed peas

3 teaspoons chili powder

2 teaspoons cayenne pepper

3 teaspoons cumin

2 tablespoons kosher salt

2 cups chicken broth

2 tablespoons Flyin’ Swine Pork Rub

CookingIMG_0031

Sauté pancetta over medium heat in a 5-quart pot until brown and crispy. Remove pancetta but keep the renderings. Place pancetta on a paper towel to drain excess fat, and set aside.

Cook the onions, celery and carrots in the oil from the pancetta for 5 minutes. Add the chili powder, cayenne pepper, cumin, salt and the Flyin’ Swine Pork Rub and mix well. Then add the bag of frozen black-eyed peas, kale, the cooked pancetta and 1 cup of the chicken broth. Mix well, cover and simmer on low for 1 hour and 30 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding the last cup of chicken broth as the liquid is absorbed.

 

Seasoned Pork Chops Ingredients 

(4) 1” thick boneless pork chops

2 tablespoons Flyin’ Swine Pork RubIMG_0039

2 tablespoons Mella Yella Lemon Pepper Spice Rub

2 tablespoons olive oil

 

Cooking

IMG_0043Mix the 4 tablespoons of spices with the 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Use the mixture to coat both sides of the pork chops and let sit for 30 minutes. Cook on a 450-500 degree grill for 4 minutes per side. Loosely cover with foil and let rest 5 minutes before serving. Pour remaining juices over chops and serve with black-eyed peas.

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