Succotash

This is how I learned to make succotash from my mother. I now use Earth Balance no soy buttery spread instead of butter, and I still occasionally burn my limas and corn a little, just like mom.

INGREDIENTS

1-2 cups frozen corn kernels

10 oz pkg frozen fordhook Lima beans 

Salt

Pepper

Earth Balance no soy buttery spread (or butter)

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

Put very little water (less than 1/4 cup) into a saucepan with about 1-2 Tbsp buttery spread, salt, and pepper. Heat until buttery spread melts, then add corn and Lima beans. Bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer until done and all water boiled off (check as cooking so can add a little more water if necessary). I usually cook about 15 minutes.

Slow Cooker Pork Loin Roast

Nancy sent me a FB Message several months ago with a link to a video showing this recipe. I'm just now getting around to trying it. Here's the link to the YouTube video https://youtu.be/gn1PI2mLr98

I revised the recipe a little, browning the roast before putting it into the slow cooker, and increasing the cooking time from 3 hours to 6-8.

INGREDIENTS

3-4 pound pork loin roast

1 Granny Smith apple

1 medium sweet onion

Honey (about 1/4-1/2 cup)

1 Tbsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp salt

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

Score top of roast by using a sharp knife to create about 8-10, 3" deep slits across the length of the roast. Season the roast with salt and pepper. Brown on all sides in a little olive oil in a cast iron skillet.

Core and thinly slice the apple. Remove the outer skin from the onion and both ends. Cut onion in half and thinly slice. Place browned roast into slow cooker. Place slices of apple into each slit. Put onions over top. Sprinkle with cinnamon and honey. Cover and cook on Low for 6-8 hours, or High 3-4 hours.

Baked Sweet Potato "Fries"

I made these to serve with pork loin tonight. The recipe is from Ina Garten on The Food Network http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/baked-sweet-potato-fries-recipe.html

INGREDIENTS

2 sweet potatoes, peeled

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 Tbsp brown sugar

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. 

Half the sweet potatoes, then slice each half into 3 spears lengthwise. Mix the brown sugar, salt, and pepper together. Place sweet potatoe spears on baking/cookie sheet. Sprinkle olive oil over and mix so covers all sides of all spears. Arrange in a single layer. Sprinkle with sugar/salt/pepper mixture.  Bake for about 15 minutes, then turn wedges over and bake an additional 5-1o minutes, until cooked through and browned. Serve warm.

Paleo Slow Cooker Chicken Pad Thai with Veggie Noodles

This is a recipe I found through Pinterest. The original recipe is from the Paleopot blog https://paleopot.com/2013/05/paleo-slow-cooker-chicken-pad-thai-with-veggie-noodles/ and I followed it pretty closely, tho I didn't have any fish sauce, so had to leave that out. I use a julienne peeler instead of a spiralizer to make the veggie noodles.

INGREDIENTS

2-3 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs and/or breasts

Salt & pepper to season meat

1 cup coconut milk

1 cup chicken stock

2 heaping Tbsp sunbutter

1 Tbsp coconut aminos

2 tsp Fish sauce (recipe recommends Red Boat, which is Paleo-friendly)

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp cayenne pepper

Dash of red pepper flakes

2 medium zucchini

1 large carrot

1 can or some fresh bean sprouts (optional)

Green onions, thinly sliced (2 go in broth, others for garnish)

Cashews for garnish

Cilantro for garnish (optional, and I don't use)

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Brown the chicken in a little olive oil in a cast iron skillet (this can be skipped if needed).

Turn slow cooker on th High and add coconut milk and chicken stock. Stir/whisk together well until coconut milk is thoroughly dissolved and mixed with stock. Add sunbutter and fish sauce and continue stirring/whisking until that is dissolved and well-mixed. Add coconut aminos, garlic, ginger, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, and 2 green onions. Mix well. Reduce slow cooker setting to Low. Place chicken into liquid, covering the bottom of the slow cooker and providing a platform to support the noodles. Cover the slow cooker until ready to add noodles.

Julienne peel or spiralize the zucchini and carrot. Rinse the bean sprouts. Mix together.

Gently rest veggie noodles on top of meat in slow cooker - the idea is to steam the noodles, not stew them. Press down very slightly. Re-cover the slow cooker. Cook on Low for 4-6 hours, aiming for 5.

To serve, remove the noodles to a strainer to drain away any liquid. Remove the meat and shred or slice it it before mixing  in some of the liquid from the slow cooker. Place meat & sauce over noodles and garnish with green onions and cashews.

Chicken Avocado Burgers

I was going to have these for dinner tonight, but then Nancy was out of town, plus they fed us pizza at the discussion I went to earlier this evening. So now one of these is my late night snack. This was something I found on Pinterest, and the recipe is from the laughingspatula.com blog. I even bought an inside grill pan for cooking these! Still need to learn how to cook with it, tho!

INGREDIENTS

1 pound ground chicken (or turkey)

1 avocado, cubed

1 clove garlic, minced

1/3 cup panko crumbs or almond meal

1 poblano or jalapeño pepper, diced (optional, but she recommends - I don't use because Nightshades)

Salt and pepper to taste

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

Gently mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl. Form into 4 patties. Grill either inside or out.

She says these can be stored in the refrigerator for several days, and also that they freeze well.

Sweet Potato, Pomegranate, Crispy Quinoa Salad

This salad recipe is from the Wendy Polisi blog: http://wendypolisi.com/sweet-potato-pomegranate-crispy-quinoa-salad/

INGREDIENTS

• Sweet Potatoes
• 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• Crispy Quinoa
• ½ cup quinoa, rinsed
• 1½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• Salad
• 1 small green apple, diced
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 5 ounces Baby Spinach
• ⅓ cup pomegranate seeds
• ⅓ cup walnuts, toasted
• Balsamic Dressing
• ½ cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespooon Truvia Natural Sweetener Spoonable
• 1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss sweet potatoes with olive oil, paprika, salt and pepper. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer, and roast for 45 minutes, stirring after 20 minutes. Allow to cool slightly.
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet combine quinoa, olive oil, ½ cup water, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat for 10 to 16 minutes. Drain on paper towels and allow to cool.
3. Make the dressing by combining balsamic vinegar, Truvia Natural Sweetener Spoonable, Dijon mustard, garlic, sea salt and cayenne pepper in a blender. Add oil in a steady stream and process until emulsified.
4. Toss apple and lemon juice in a small bowl.
5. In a large bowl combine spinach, pomegranate seeds, walnuts and apple. Add roasted sweet potatoes, crispy quinoa and toss with the desired amount of dressing