10-Minute Side Dish: Tex-Mex Zucchini

10 minute side dish, Low-carb, Mexican, My Tasteful Life, Paleo, side dish, spices, Zucchini

Since it’s still summer, zucchini continues to be abundant and on sale. Finding new ways to prepare it gives me a fun challenge, and my recent blog post on Zucchini Crisps turned out to be a delightful experiment. Today I’m sharing my Tex-Mex Zucchini. IMG_3463

Eating Mexican food doesn’t mean you must have beans and rice as a side dish. If you’re following a Paleo diet, then those items are prohibited anyway. Here’s a perfect low-carb side dish that takes just 10 minutes to make and pairs perfectly with any Mexican-inspired meal.

The unique ingredient is dried chipotle pepper flakes. Traditional in Southwestern and Mexican cuisine, chipotle peppers are smoke-dried jalapenos. Because they are dried, these peppers have a less intense heat than fresh jalapenos or dried red pepper flakes.

Chipotle peppers have a sweeter, smokier heat that tends to linger on the lips. If you truly dislike anything hot, then try reducing the chipotle pepper flakes to a half teaspoon on your first attempt.

This dish only takes 10 minutes to cook, but I like to let zucchini marinate in the chipotle pepper flakes and oil for at least 5 minutes before cooking. This dish serves three, so double it if you’re feeding a crowd.

Ingredients

1 large zucchini, sliced into 1/2″ rounds

1/2 red onion, sliced

2 tablespoons coconut oil or olive oil

1 teaspoon chipotle pepper flakes

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Process

Mix the zucchini rounds, red onion, oil and chipotle pepper flakes in a bowl. Let sit for 5 to 15 minutes.

When the zucchini is done marinating, heat a dry pan on medium-high heat for 1 minute. Then add the zucchini mixture and sauté for 6 minutes, stirring regularly. Add the kosher salt and stir.

Turn the heat up to high and keep stirring for 2 more minutes. Turn off heat and keep warm until you’re ready to serve your meal.

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Crispy Lamb and Lentils

Greek, Mediterranean, Paleo, spices, sunday supper

Sometimes I think this blog should be called “A Cheater’s Guide to Paleo” because there are a few items that I can’t seem to remove from my diet. Lentils are one of those foods.

It’s not like I’m eating lentils all the time, but there are a few dishes that just sing when I use those tiny legumes. I think the key is to use them sparingly to highlight the real IMG_1716main course.

This crispy lamb and lentils recipe provides a nice example of my “a little goes a long way” theory. The entire recipe only uses 1-1/2 cups of cooked lentils, which means each serving is only 1/4 to 1/3 cup, depending on how many you’re feeding. Lentils are packed with fiber, iron and protein (13 grams per serving) so I’m okay with including them in my diet once and a while.

I found this basic recipe in a Bon Appétit magazine but in my typical fashion, I couldn’t follow the instructions exactly. So this version has my own personal spin on it, and it’s pretty delicious. Make the lentils ahead of time if you need to, but they really only take 5-10 minutes because it’s a small batch.

When you take a bite of this you’ll immediately feel like you’re eating Mediterranean cuisine. The lamb and lentils mixed with fresh cucumber and parsley is an amazing combination. If you’re feeding people not adhering to Paleo, then include some fresh pita and the Greek yogurt sauce (recipe is also below) to expand your meal. This recipe feeds four adults. I added a few Kalamata olives because they pair so well, and I love them.

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups lentils, red, brown or green

1 pound ground lambIMG_1705

1/2 cup onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, pressed or chopped

1 cup cucumber, chopped

1/2 cup Italian flat-leaf parsley, chopped

2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon cumin

Lettuce cups or pita bread

Cooking

Bring two cups of water or chicken broth to a boil in a small sauce pan. Add lentils, cook on medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn off heat and set aside.

In a large sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic. Once it’s hot (about 2 minutes) carefully add the ground lamb and press it down to cover the entire pan. After 4 minutes, break up the lamb and continue to brown it, like you might do with hamburger meat for tacos. The goal is to get the meat very brown and crisp. Season the meat with paprika, salt, pepper and cumin.

Then add the onion to the pan, and continue to cook for another 3-5 minutes. Meanwhile, drain the lentils.

Push the meat to one side and add last tablespoon of oil to the empty side of the pan. Add the lentils and press down to cover the empty space. Let cook for 3 minutes, and then stir into the lamb mixture. Continue to cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally.

Turn off the heat. Incorporate the fresh mint, parsley and cucumber. Fill lettuce cups or serve with warmed pita and yogurt sauce.

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Greek Yogurt Sauce

Ingredients

3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt

1 tablespoon chopped onion

1 tablespoon chopped cucumber

1 teaspoon garlic salt

1 teaspoon chopped parsley

2 tablespoon reduced fat feta cheese

Process

Mix everything together and let sit for 30 minutes before serving.

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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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