Balsamic Chicken Caprese with Shirataki Noodles

If this dish looks familiar, that's because it is. Last year, I posted my "balsamic chicken" recipe. This year, after discovering the sheer joy of shiritaki noodles, I've made it better.

*Serves 2*

Ingredients:
2 Skinless chicken breasts
3 packs Angel hair or fettuccine shiritaki noodles (I use Miracle Noodles and highly recommend them!)
1 cup Vidalia onion, chopped
1 8oz Ball fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into cubes
2 Medium vine-ripened tomatoes, seeded and chopped
2 Tbsp olive oil
2/3 cup Balsamic vinegar
1/8 tsp Stevia
1 tsp Basil
1/4 tsp Garlic powder
Coarse salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Boil the shiritaki noodles according to package directions and set aside. In a large pan or wok, heat the olive oil and add onions. Stir occasionally until the onions become clear and have started to brown slightly. Season the chicken breasts with some of the garlic powder, salt, and pepper and add to the pan, allowing to brown on one side before flipping (approximately 3 minutes). Once both sides have cooked for 3-4 minutes, turn the heat up and add half of the balsamic vinegar. After thirty seconds, flip the chicken. After an additional thirty seconds, reduce the heat to medium-low. Set aside the chicken breasts on a plate. To the pan, add the shiritaki noodles, stevia, basil, the remaining balsamic vinegar, and any additional desired garlic powder, salt, or pepper, mixing well with the onions and balsamic until the noodles are completely coated. Allow to simmer on for 7-10 minutes (until most of the liquid has been absorbed). Plate the noodles and toss in the uncooked tomatoes and mozzarella. Top with the chickem breasts and any remaining balsamic reduction.

Cedar Grilled Salmon

There is only one primary ingredient in this dish, and you're looking at it. What's so great about a hunk of salmon? Well, my friend, you're about to find out.

*Serves 1 hungry Heather or 2 normal human beings*

Ingredients:

1 large Wild Salmon filet
1/2 Lemon
1/2 Lime
1/4 tsp Dill
1/4 tsp Garlic powder
1/8 tsp Pepper
1/4 tsp Cyprus black flake salt (#4)
1/4 tsp Viking smoked oak salt (#51)
(You can find both of these specialty salts and many more at The Spice Lab...totally worth it.)

You will also need:
 
1 cedar grilling plank (These are available at several chain grocers, usually in packs of two.)
1 charcoal grill, loaded with briquettes

Directions:

Soak the cedar plank for one hour prior to grilling. Thirty minutes into the soaking, fire up the grill and allow to sit until coals are glowing red (should be right at the end of that soaking hour). Pat the salmon filet dry and season with all dry ingredients evenly across its surface. Squeeze a small amount of lemon and lime juice all over the filet. Place the filet on the plank with the skin side on the wood, then place the plank onto the center of the grill. For a thick salmon filet like the one pictured above, leave on the grill (covered) for fifteen minutes. Remove fish from the plank carefully and enjoy your homemade delicacy!

Rosemary Pork Chops with Sautéed Kale

With my Primal success story being published today, my blog's pageviews increased tenfold...I suppose I should give you all something to look at. Time for a new recipe?

*Serves 2*

Ingredients:

2 Boneless ¾ inch thick pork chops
5-6 Kale leaves, de-stemmed and shredded
1/4 cup Tapioca flour
1 Tbsp Ghee (or butter)
1/4 cup Apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup Chicken broth
2 Tbsp Tamari or coconut aminos
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp Dried rosemary
1 tsp Garlic powder
1/4 tsp Powdered ginger
1/4 tsp Smoked paprika
1/8 tsp Red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp Stevia
Coarse salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat the ghee (or butter) in a pan on medium heat. In a shallow dish, combine all dried ingredients aside from stevia. Season the pork with salt and pepper, then dredge the pork in the dry ingredient mixture and place in the pan, cooking for 3-5 minutes on each side until golden brown. (Be sure to only lightly coat the pork, since tapioca flour turns to goo if used for full-on breading.) Remove the pork chops from the pan and set aside. Turn the heat up on the pan slightly and add the cider vinegar, stirring for thirty seconds to work in pan drippings. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in 1/4 cup of the chicken broth, the tamari, mustard, and stevia. Return the pork chops to the pan, allowing them to simmer for a minute or two on each side until the mixture has reduced. Add small amounts of the remaining chicken broth to keep the mixture from becoming too thick as you cook the pork to your desired temperature. Plate the pork, then pour any remaining chicken broth in the pan along with the kale, stirring until well-coated and wilted. Serve alongside the pork.

Avocado Bacon Burger

Just because you can't have the bun doesn't mean you can't have the burger...and all of the random assorted toppings that make it truly delicious.

*Serves 2*

Ingredients:

1/2 lb Lean ground beef
1 Avocado
4 Strips bacon (nitrate/sugar free preferred!)
2 Eggs
4 Large leaves of romaine lettuce
Garlic powder
Coarse salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a large pan, cook the bacon to your desired level of crispiness and set aside. Form the ground beef into two patties and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Cook in the bacon grease for about three minutes on each side (medium rare). Plate the lettuce leaves and put the burger on top. Using the remaining bacon grease and burger drippings, cook the two eggs until over-easy (or to desired level). Put the eggs on top of the burger patties, then break the bacon and divide on top of the eggs. Cut the avocado in half and slice, placing that on top of the bacon. Use the remaining lettuce halves as the top portion of the bun. (If you are a primal/paleo cheese lover like myself, a small amount of shredded swiss cheese is also AWESOME on this.) Napkins are a must. You will get messy.

Shrimp and "Grits"

Ok, so those aren't real grits. This isn't exactly prepared in the typical southern fashion, either, but the idea behind it is similar.

*Serves 2*

Ingredients:

1 Head cauliflower
8 oz Large shrimp
1/2 Yellow onion, chopped
2 Vine ripened tomatoes, chopped
1 Tbsp Light olive oil
1 Tbsp Parsley
2 Tbsp Unsalted butter
2 Tbsp Heavy whipping cream
1 tsp Garlic powder
Coarse salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Boil the cauliflower until tender. While this is boiling, heat the oil on medium in a large pan. Add the onions, tomatoes, shrimp, parsley, garlic powder, and salt and pepper to the oil and stir. Simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain the cauliflower and break into pieces small enough to fit neatly into the basin of a food processor. Combine the cauliflower, butter, cream, and a little salt in the food processor until smooth. Spoon onto two plates and make a pocket on top. Spoon the shrimp mixture into these pockets and serve.

Spaghetti Squash Casserole

Spaghetti squash is a fantastic substitute for pasta, but sometimes you just get sick of eating it like pasta, no matter how many sauces you come up with. This recipe is another tasty use for this versatile vegetable.

*Serves 2-8* (Leftovers, anyone?)

Ingredients:
1 Large Spaghetti Squash
1 lb Ground Pork
6 Eggs (reduce as needed for desired texture; six eggs makes it quiche-like)
1 can Peas (approx 1.5 cups frozen)
1 can Carrots (fresh are fine too; boil first for desired softness)
1/2 Yellow Onion, chopped
2 Tbsp Sage
1 Tbsp Thyme
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
1/4 tsp Allspice
1/4 tsp Paprika
Coarse salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. With a large knife, poke several holes through the flesh of the squash all over, then place into a shallow baking dish. Bake for two hours. Remove from oven, cut in half, and set aside. While the squash is cooling, brown the ground pork in a large pan, chopping into small pieces with the spatula as it cooks. Stir in the thyme, nutmeg, allspice, paprika, 1 Tbsp of the sage, and salt and pepper to taste. While the meat is browning, remove the seeds from the squash and discard (or set aside for later use if you're a baked seed fan like me). With a fork, pull the spaghetti squash strands apart and loosely pack into a large glass baking dish. Add the pork, onion, peas, carrots, eggs, second Tbsp of sage, and salt and pepper, stirring until well blended. Bake for approximately one hour. Great fresh or reheated!

Cranberry Beef Stuffed Squash

A lot of the recipes on here are relatively quick and easy to make. This one is easy, but it's far from quick. If you want to make a Fall meal that's totally delicious and you're ready to spend a lot of time on it, then read on.

*Serves 2-4*

Ingredients:

1 Eye of round roast (approximately 2 lbs)
1 Acorn squash (2 if preparing for 4 people)
1 Yellow onion
4 Strips bacon
1/2 cup Dried cranberries
1/2 Tbsp Unsalted butter
2 Tbsp Ground rosemary
1 Tbsp Garlic powder
Coarse salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Slice the onion across the center so it forms rings. Line the bottom of a crockpot with these onion slices. Mix the rosemary, garlic powder, salt, and pepper and rub generously all over the eye of round roast. Place the roast on top of the onions in the crockpot, along with any leftover spices. Cook on low for eight hours. About six and a half hours into cooking, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Slice the acorn squash in half and scoop out the seeds, leaving a bowl-like structure. Score the squash meat across the diameter several times (like slicing a pizza, but don't cut through the shell). Rub the butter all over the inside of both squash halves and sprinkle a little salt on them. Bake for an hour, then set aside (best kept in the turned-off oven to keep them warm).

In a large pan, cook the four strip of bacon until crispy, then set aside. While the bacon is cooking, pull the roast apart with a fork and mix with the juices and onion. Pour the roast and onion mixture into the pan with the bacon grease and add the cranberries and stir until well-blended. Continue to stir until the cranberries start to look re-hydrated (approximately 5 minutes). Plate the squash halves and fill each with the beef mixture. Crumble bacon on top and serve. (If you only made two squash halves, you will have a significant amount of extra beef to eat for the next few days. I assure you that you won't be upset by this; if you are, then you're on the wrong blog.)