I sort of fell backwards into this recipe. After making a delicious pork roast with homemade mojo sauce, I realized that I had a ton of extra sauce. Well, I couldn’t let it go to waste because, man, it was really good. I looked in the fridge to see what I had that might go with the meal, and, fortunately, a head of cauliflower was staring me in the face. Perfect! The recipe really turned out well. And it was easy and we all loved it! I think I’ll try it next time using a whole chicken instead.
This is what you need:
2-3 lbs pork loin or roast
1/2 cup orange juice
1/3 lime or lemon juice
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
6 or 8 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp sea salt
2 tsp cumin
1 tbsp dried or fresh oregano
pepper to taste
head of cauliflower
2 cups chicken broth
Start by trimming the large pieces of fat off of the pork, if you want. Or you can just peel it off after it is cooked. Then place the meat in a slow cooker or dutch oven. Pour the orange juice, lime (or lemon) juice, and the olive oil over the roast. Then add the rest of the ingredients to the top of the pork. If you’re using a dutch oven, cook it in your oven on 200 for approximately 6 hours. Or if using a slow cooker, cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
This picture would have been so much better looking, well maybe not “so much”, but had I added the cumin at the beginning and not the end. Oh well. You get the point. It’s easy to make. Just dump some ingredients and go!!
When your pork is almost done, clean and chop your cauliflower into large chunks. Place the cut cauliflower in a food processor (I just used our favorite ulu knife and chopped it while it was in the colander, but wish I had made it more rice-like for this dish) and blend for about 30-60 seconds until rice like. Place the cauliflower in a large pot and pour chicken broth or water over it. Once the liquid comes to a boil, cover the pot and let it steam for about 7-8 minutes until the cauliflower is tender. Then pour it into a colander to strain it.
Once your pork is done, chop up the meat into small bite-sized pieces (and trim your fat then too, if needed). Add the cauliflower “rice” to the pork, stir well so the mojo sauce covers everything and then enjoy!!
Everyone seemed to love this meal…even if it wasn’t quite dinner time.
Trim the big fat chunks off your pork, if you want. Then place the meat in slow cooker or dutch oven. Pour the orange juice, lime (or lemon) juice, and the olive oil over the roast. Then add the rest of the ingredients to the top of the pork. If you're using a dutch oven, cook it in your oven on 200 for approximately 6 hours. Or if using a slow cooker, cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
When your pork is almost done, clean and chop your cauliflower into large chunks. Place it in a food processor and blend for about 30-60 seconds until rice like. Place the cauliflower in a large pot and pour chicken broth or water over it. Once the broth or water boils, cover the pot and let it steam for about 7-8 minutes until the cauliflower is tender. Then pour it into a colander to strain it.
Once your pork is done, chop up the meat into small bite-sized pieces. Add the cauliflower "rice" to the pork, stir so the mojo sauce covers everything, and enjoy!!
While many say breakfast is the most important meal of the day (and I totally agree), I think that needs a bit of clarification. I believe a protein-filled breakfast is crucial. After all, we are giving our brains fuel to enhance concentration and focus for the school or work day. Would you put water or oil in your gas tank if you were about to take a road trip? No. Well, sugar and processed carbohydrates certainly aren’t your premium gas.
Also, I know we are all rushing around on weekday mornings, so breakfast needs to be quick and easy, and like I said, full of protein. This one checks the box on all three!
This is an easy-to-throw-together meal. If you really want to save time, either cook ahead of time and put in fridge for the next day (or couple of days). Or make the batter ahead of time, put it in a sealed container, and cook it the next morning so it’s warm and fresh.
With 20 grams of protein, and 6 grams of fiber, this gluten-free, low- glycemic (so you’ll have consistent energy levels) breakfast is very filling!
Here is how you make your Big Ole Pancake but you can see the ingredients and directions at the bottom of this post if you want to print it out.
Once you mixed the ingredients together and before you cook the pancake, make sure the butter covers the pan…
Pour the batter and let it cook about 3-4 minutes on each side and then carefully flip like so…Darn it!!
Okay so the only problem with the Big Ole Pancake is you really need to get under your pancake with the spatula. But on my 2nd, and 3rd, and even 4th tries, no problem. Yes, I made this a bunch of times but I wanted to make sure the recipe was just right.
Ah-ha! See…
It’s also good with some dark chocolate chips and whip. It doesn’t add that much sugar but makes them even more fun. This was our Saturday morning breakfast.
They are also great with almond butters, strawberries, blueberries, bananas, eggs and bacon (make a sandwich!)…you name it!
If you use a syrup, just be sure to use a good quality maple syrup instead of the bottle high fructose corn syrup also known as “pancake syrup”. Oh and instead of pouring it all over, just put a little on the side so the kids, or you, can dip it. It can save you about 20-30 grams of sugar.
If you don’t have protein powder, you can just skip that part and the pancake will still be fine. We have made them both ways, although to be honest, I did like the taste of it a little better with the Jay Robb Vanilla protein powder. The protein powder itself smells like cake batter! Mmmmm…
2 tbsp canned coconut milk or any milk of your choice
1 tbsp vanilla protein powder (you can skip this if you don't have any)
2 tsp vanilla extract (skip this if you use a vanilla protein powder)
2 tbsp coconut palm sugar
Pinch baking soda and salt
1 tbsp grass fed butter or ghee (for cooking)
Instructions
Mix dry ingredients together in a small bowl. Mix the eggs and vanilla (you can skip the vanilla if you use vanilla flavored protein powder) together. Mix all of the ingredients together. Turn large pan on high heat, add butter, and pour in batter. Allow to cook 3-4 minutes on each side. Don't flip until the edges are brown. Then really get all the way under it with your spatula, flip and allow it to cook another 3-4 minutes.
Planning food can be tough. But I think most of us get meals….it’s the healthy snacks that are so tricky! Unfortunately most conveniently packaged store-bought snacks are highly refined with preservatives, added sugar and less than ideal (and sometimes even unpronounceable) ingredients. But finding good, healthy, kid (and adult) approved snacks to make can be a challenge as well. I mean have you ever had to come up with, say, 100 really tasty, healthy Paleo snacks? And, then, get these snacks sampled and approved by friends, neighbors and even the pickiest of eaters? You see where I am going with this, right? 🙂
I am really excited and proud to announce Super Paleo Snacks, a book I have been working very hard on for the past nine months. And, as of today, it is now available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Indie Bound, Indigo, and Bookish!
Here are a few pictures of some of the snacks that will be in the book!! What’s so fun about these recipes is that while you will see something like “brownies” in the snack book, you will learn that brownies (like some other snacks) don’t have to be just for desserts or special occasions. Brownie CAN be a great snack, low in sugar, high in healthy fats and protein!
Food has a purpose, especially snacks, and if we eat the right foods, it can help us to focus & concentrate, have balanced energy, and keep us full until the next meal. All of my recipes are gluten free, most are low glycemic (so we’ll have sustained energy and won’t get hungry too soon after), many are nut-free (even excluding the nut free section) and most take under 15 minutes to prepare! The chapters are broken out into different times of the day so you can use the right snacks to your benefit. The chapters include snacks for:
At Home
At Work/School
Pre-workout/Exercise/Sports
On-the-Road (For commuting, carpool or road trips)
Nut Free
Sweet Treats
I will share some of the snack recipes this fall but for today, I wanted to share a new snack that my daughter loves. She said “instead of granola bars they are granola balls”. To be honest, my son isn’t a huge fan of this snack (he “likes them but doesn’t love them”), but Alice, who can be picky about snacks, absolutelyloves them. I don’t usually eat oats but I tried them and think they are really good, too! They’re so easy to make and perfect for a on-the -go snack like a road trip for Labor Day.
Okay before you look at the ingredients and scoff at the Coconut Nectar 🙂 , please, give it a chance.
You can get it at Whole Foods, Amazon or Vitacost for about $7, the same price as honey and even less than maple. I love this stuff! It is fabulous not only because it’s one of the only liquid sweeteners that is low glycemic and low in fructose (as opposted to agave nectar that has more fructose than HFCS – high fructose corn syrup) but it also has 17 amino acids and it is loaded with nutrients like Vitamins B and C. It’s worth a try! While it doesn’t necessarily smell sweet when you open the bottle, it makes any snack taste amazing!
1 cup gluten free quick cook oats (we use Bob's Red Mill Quick Cooking)
¼ cup almond or peanut butter
¼ cup coconut nectar (or maple or honey)
2 tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut
2 tbsp coconut palm sugar (may not need if you use maple or honey)
¼ cup dark chocolate chips
2 tbsp chia seeds
2 tbsp slivered almonds
¼ tsp sea salt
Instructions
In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients together. Then add the coconut nectar (or maple or honey) and peanut butter and combine everything together. As your hands get messy, it gets harder to roll into balls. Once you've mixed it, wash my hands off and stick the bowl in the fridge for about 10-15 minutes. Then, start to use both hands to roll into golf ball sized snacks and set aside or enjoy immediately. If they feel a little dry or crumbly at all, just add some extra nectar and nut butter. Stores well in the fridge for about 5- 7 days.
Lori -I made these last night just as directed (yes, tried and loved the coconut nectar) and they were delicious – thanks for sharing! Mine seemed to fall apart and crumble in my hands when trying to make into balls, even after refrigerating. Any suggestions to hold them together better so that they roll into “pretty” balls like yours? I just tried to put the crumbles together the best I could and I put them in the freezer to hold. Looks like yours also have almond slivers – yum!ReplyCancel
landriav -Hey there Lori!! Hmm. That is so odd!! Im so sorry yours didnt stick! I’ve made them a couple of times now and have not had that problem at all. They’re actually pretty solid little balls. Maybe add a little extra nut butter or nectar? I’ll make them again soon to triple check the consistency and recipe. Glad you liked the taste though! Oh and yes, one time we did almond slivers in them and that was a nice addition! Thanks for commenting!ReplyCancel
Kelsey -Is there supposed to be an egg in this recipe?ReplyCancel
landriav -Hi Kelsey, no, it’s a raw recipe. You could cook it if you wanted I’m sure with egg and a touch a baking soda, but no the original recipe doesn’t call for egg. If it’s dry at all, just add more nut butter or nectar/maple.ReplyCancel
So to be honest, I was never really that big into cookbooks. I thought, why pay the money for a cookbook when you can just pull up any old recipe online. But then I discovered how a good cookbook allows my kids be a part of the whole cooking and meal process. There is no better way for my kids to take control than by flipping through and bookmarking anything that looks good to them, especially when it’s a book full of healthy meals.
They also help me stay organized. I’m not searching and trying to remember what recipe I found where. Anyway, I’ve come to discover, they just make things so much easier! I have a good collection of recipes from my staple books, which has been so nice, especially because I felt like I was starting to get stuck in such a rut! I’m creative, but I’m not that creative, and I certainly love the new ideas from these wonderful books. I’m just sayin’…maybe something to keep in mind! 🙂
Alice was showing my dad everything she wanted us to try. See, it works!
So tonight we made a recipe from Danielle Walker’s Against All Grain that my daughter had bookmarked.
We made this Sesame-Orange Chicken, with a few changes, and it turned out wonderfully!
Lots of bookmarks. Think I need to invest in some some post-its? We are so unorganized!
The picture doesn’t do this justice, apparently. I will say, I never got to try it because I went out that night, but my daughter and our cute babysitter LOVED it! And, my husband had the rest when he got home and said it was “awesome”.
Preheat oven to 350F. Cut chicken in small bit sized pieces and place in a glass oven safe dish. In a small sauce pan, add all of the ingredients sans the arrowroot powder and water. In a small bowl, add the arrowroot and water and stir until completely dissolved. Then pour that in the pan along with the other ingredients and turn the pan on medium high. While continuously stirring, allow it to come to a boil and then immediately pour the sauce over the raw chicken. Bake on 350F for approximately 30 minutes or until no longer pink in the middle. Add some sesame seeds to garnish and enjoy! This also goes great with cauliflower rice, broccoli, kelp noodles (our new favorite stir fry addition that I will post about soon) to soak up the yummy sauce.
Ever have one of those spells where it feels like you just can’t prepare a meal that will make everyone happy all the time?! Shoot, or anyone happy, any of the time? Lately, one of us in particular— not saying any names because I dont want to throw my only son under the bus (this phase better end soon!)— has been complaining a lot lately. “Just to tell you mom…this isn’t my favorite.” So, while the kid is polite, it would be nice to hear a positive comment, at least once in awhile.
Last night….I was successful! Tate said “these are amazing!” and he actually said it TWICE. And then said “Hey, hey, this is even better than IKEA meatballs!!!” Wait…what?!? So apparently he had a sample meatball when the family went to Ikea this weekend while I was working. Anyway, I’m not sure that is a compliment, but I’ll take it. He actually said these were “better…way better!”. YEEEESSS. EVERYONE was happy last night! Me included!! This is definitely a new staple for us. Lots of flavor, but no crazy spices that might offend one of your more picky eaters.
Oh and speaking of kids and picky eating, I’m doing a talk at Dr. Bhatia’s (Dr. Taz) office TONIGHT (8/13) on how food affects our kids and how to prep them for success at school so they can concentrate well and be their very best. It’s from 7:00-8:00 at 1401 Dresden Drive in Brookhaven. Be sure to call the office at 404.814.9808 or email admin@atlantaholisticmedicine.com to reserve your spot.
Mmmm, these meatballs were so tasty! I have to admit, I’ve never had “swedish meatballs” so the flavor might not be 100% authentic, but they were still really good! I mainly called them “Swedish Meatballs” because of Tate’s IKEA point of reference…
The kids were hungry during pictures so I let them sample our new meatballs…
You see his death grip on her arm?
I really shouldn’t have made dinner so late last night…
Oh and we sautéed the asparagus in some ghee and then poured in the extra gravy. It was so good!
I made enough so we would have leftovers so (about 4 meatballs) so if you have a family smaller than 4, or you don’t want the leftovers, you might want to half the recipe…
Meatballs
2 pound grass fed ground beef (makes the best gravy with 80/20)
1/4 cup parsley, minced (dried or fresh)
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 eggs
1/2 cup dried onion (it’s all we had but fresh would be great too)
1/2 cup almond flour/meal
1 3/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp black peppercorns
1/2 tsp nutmeg
For the gravy
1 cups chicken (or beef) broth
1 tbsp arrowroot powder
1 tbsp cold water
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk (or other dairy alternative)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Parsley for garnish
Heat oven to 350F. Mix all of the meatball ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Then with your hands, mush it all together until well combined. Then form meatballs (about 2″ in diameter). Heat cast iron skillet or pan on high.
Cook meatballs and let them get brown on one side, and then flip (about 4 min on each). Continue to turn the meatballs on the raw sides so they get brown all over. Then cook on 350 for 15 or so minutes. My pan was small so I could only fit half so if your pan is small or you don’t have a oven safe pan, transfer the meatballs to i put a glass dish or baking sheet. While that is cooking keep the grease in the pan and add the chicken broth and almond milk. While that is heating on medium high heat, stir the arrowroot powder and water in a small bowl. Once combined well, stir that in with the rest of the gravy. Add a dash of salt and pepper and allow to come to a boil. Then reduce and let cook for a couple more minutes until it thickens. When the meatballs are done, place them on a plate (or back into the gravy pan) and cover with gravy. Garnish with parsley and enjoy!
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.jpg "Paleo Mojo Pork & Rice Bowl")
.jpg "Paleo Mojo Pork & Rice Bowl")
.jpg "Paleo Mojo Pork & Rice Bowl")
.jpg "Big Ole (Powerhouse!) Pancake…")
.jpg "Big Ole (Powerhouse!) Pancake…")
Darn it!!.jpg "Big Ole (Powerhouse!) Pancake…")
.jpg "Big Ole (Powerhouse!) Pancake…")
.jpg "Big Ole (Powerhouse!) Pancake…")
.jpg "Big Ole (Powerhouse!) Pancake…")
.jpg "Big Ole (Powerhouse!) Pancake…")
.jpg "Big Ole (Powerhouse!) Pancake…")
.jpg "Snacks are SO hard!! But wait…there’s help.")
.jpg "Snacks are SO hard!! But wait…there’s help.")
.jpg "Snacks are SO hard!! But wait…there’s help.")
.jpg "Snacks are SO hard!! But wait…there’s help.")
.jpg "Sesame-Orange Chicken and cookbooks…")
.jpg "Sesame-Orange Chicken and cookbooks…")
.jpg "Sesame-Orange Chicken and cookbooks…")
.jpg "Sesame-Orange Chicken and cookbooks…")
.jpg "Swedish meatballs (“better than IKEA’s!”)")
.jpg "Swedish meatballs (“better than IKEA’s!”)")
.jpg "Swedish meatballs (“better than IKEA’s!”)")
.jpg "Swedish meatballs (“better than IKEA’s!”)")
.jpg "Swedish meatballs (“better than IKEA’s!”)")
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