Garlic Rosemary Potato Medallions

We don't eat white potatoes very often. When we do, it is a treat! We were doing a lamb leg roast (recipe for that will come when we can perfect it, we always overcook it) and needed a fast side. These potatoes are salty, savory, buttery, delicious little bits of potato heaven. First bite made we want to crawl into these and live. We ate nearly the whole thing right then and there.

Garlic Rosemary Potato Medallions

Ingredients
5 medium potatoes, scrubbed and sliced 1/4 in thick
1/2 c butter, melted
3 tbsp garlic rosemary spice mixture (recipe below)

Preheat the oven to 375F. Layer the potatoes in rows in a glass pan (roughly 11x7), pouring butter and sprinkling spice mixture between each layer. Bake covered for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until tender, another 10 - 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

Garlic Rosemary Powder
Combine 1 tbsp Celtic Sea Salt, 2 tbsp dried rosemary, and 2 tbsp dried minced garlic in a spice grinder/coffee grinder. Grind into a fine powder. Store in an air tight container.

Chicken Take-Out Fake-Out (WINTER IS OVER! sort of)

I got so excited this past week. We took the Cave Toddler to the park a few days in a row, went on walks, wore shorts and short sleeve shirts! It was incredible. Then it snowed yesterday. I reverted back to winter hibernation, oops. At least this gives me hope that it will be getting warmer and it will be soon. Warmer weather brings gardens and fresh produce which also means lots and lots of new recipes. Winter sucks all my inspiration but summer? Summer and I are good friends when it comes to cooking.

On one of the first warm days, I had an intense stir fry craving. This recipe was the result. The sauce didn't thicken as much as I wanted originally but the flavor, oh man, that flavor was amazing. If you eat white rice then this can be served over it. If you are totally grain free, serve it over cauli "rice."


Sweet and Spicy Chicken Stir-Fry

Ingredients
2 2/3 c chicken stock, divided
1/3 c Sweet chili sauce
Juice from 2 oranges
1 tsp garlic powder
Sriracha to taste
1 lb chicken, cooked and shredded (I used home canned)
2 tbsp cooking fat
4-5 c assorted veggies (I personally used green beans, onions, broccoli, and sliced carrots)

Combine 2 c chicken stock and juice from the oranges in a small sauce pan, simmer to reduce by about 2/3. You want maybe 1/2 - 3/4 c left.

While the stock is reducing, melt the butter in a large cast iron skillet. If using onions, add them diced first to saute until translucent. Add in remaining veggies and saute until softened but not cooked all the way. Add the chicken and garlic powder, stir to combine.

When the sauce is reduced sufficiently, add the 2/3 c chicken stock and sweet chili sauce and simmer to make sure everything combines well. Pour over chicken and veggie mixture. Add sriracha to desired spice level and simmer as low as it can go until the veggies are tender, you don't want to lose too much liquid. Serve over rice or cauli "rice."

Intro To Me?

So as I am sure ya'll have noticed I have no idea what the hell I am doing. I am blogging recipes and pretending I know what is going on. It is great!

I figured I would do a minor introduction, sort of outline what we eat and why and state my goal for this little blog. Thing.

Hi. I'm the Cave Mom. I am a young mom with a passion for health and cooking. The Cave Toddler was born in July of 2012, going on 18 months old now. She is quite a handful. I have been fortunate so far that she hasn't been picky. I like to think it is the variety of foods we have offered her since day one.

Cave Mom and Cave Dad met in a cooking program, so we both have fun creating recipes and figuring out easy ways to get delicious and healthy foods on the table in record time.

We mostly follow the primal type lifestyle and diet, which can get tricky with an active toddler and a tight budget. (Difference between paleo and primal.) We try to focus on gluten-/wheat-free, no legumes, and no artificial sugars. We have raw grass-fed milk, cheese, and butter in the house as well as occasional rice. Beans as well, if things are getting tight. Commercial dairy and gluten are the main two things we try to avoid because they react poorly with my body and the Cave Toddler's body. The only sugars we try to use are pure grade B maple syrup, raw local honey, and, on rare occasions, coconut sugar. Anything else makes my blood sugar go wonky. Cave Dad is having issues giving up soda but we have been working on that. Ya'll should have seen Cave Toddler after snagging an open can of Mt. Dew Cave Dad left out! Not my favourite night.

The main goal is family friendly nutrient dense foods on the table as fast as possible and tasting as amazing as possible. We try to keep things simple but occasionally get a little crazy. I think it stems from the cooking background we share. Ooops.

I have had this for a few months now but need to get in the habit of updating more often. I have since made the decision to display ads and get an Amazon associates account. I don't expect to make a living off this stuff but it would be nice to someday make it grow. Don't hate me for the ads. The days I do update this is taking time from my already busy schedules and, while I enjoy doing this, a little incentive never hurts anyone. Thought I would warn you ahead of time =]

I will issue another warning. There is a VERY good chance I will swear profusely. I tend to speak like a sailor in every day life and it might bleed into here. We will see.

I appreciate all those who have supported me thus far and furthered my love and passion for food and health.

Happy eating!

Best Ever Broccoli Soup

We occasionally babysit the son of a friend. He is several years older than the Cave Toddler. As we were making dinner tonight we realized we had him tonight but didn't know if he would be here during dinner so we tried to add volume to the broccoli soup we planned on tonight. This recipe was the result. It is so inexpensive and easy and results in a decent volume of soup. It feels like velvet in my mouth. I love broccoli soup so much and this has, honestly, been the best recipe I have made this far.

Creamy Broccoli Soup

1 lb frozen broccoli florets
1 head cauliflower, roughly chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
4-5 tbsp melted butter
salt and pepper to taste
4-5 c chicken stock
1-2 oz cream cheese (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Toss broccoli and cauliflower in butter and salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes or until tender.

Puree with stock and cream cheese, if using. I like to heat a little more over the stove but it is ready to serve as is.

The cauliflower and cream cheese add a nice creaminess to it that I absolutely LOVE. It is almost like broccoli velvet in my mouth. I don't know. Just the best broccoli soup I have ever had. Give a shot, so easy, so yummy.

Garlic Pulled Pork

Garlic Pulled Pork (A favourite of Cave Dad)

Pork shoulder (about 4 lbs)

1/2 tsp cumin

1 tbsp garlic powder

6 garlic cloves, peeled

Juice of 1 lime

1 onion, sliced

1 bay leaf

salt and pepper to taste

Mix cumin, garlic powder, lime juice, and salt/pepper to taste in a small bowl. Place sliced onion in the bottom of the crock pot then put the shoulder on top of it. Rub spice mixture all over the pork. Score the pork in six places and insert the garlic cloves. Top with bay leaf and cook on low for 10-12 hours, until it pulls apart easily with a fork. Serve with juices.

We like to do this over night then pop it in the fridge in the morning so it is cool enough to pull with my hands. We also like to puree the juices with the cooked onions and garlic cloves to make a gravy of sorts.

Pair with chopped lettuce, tomatoes, and diced green bell peppers to make a garlic pork salad.

Meal in a Meatloaf

Meal in a Meatloaf

1 lb ground beef

1 lb ground pork sausage

1 onion, chopped

1-2 carrots, finely chopped or grated

1 parsnip, grated

Small head/bunch broccoli, chopped small

1/2 green pepper, chopped

1 medium tomato, chopped

1/2 tsp. Salt

1/4 tsp. Pepper

1 egg

1 garlic clove, minced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together, pat in two loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until cooked through. (Meat thermometer should read 165 degrees or higher.)

Chicken Soup - The Ultimate Comfort Food

Chicken Soup

2 tblsp cooking fat

2 cloves garlic

1 onion

1-1 1/2 quart chicken stock/broth

2 c celery (about 4 stalks)

2 c carrots (about 3-4 carrots)

A few shakes of dried parsley (optional)

1-2 lbs chicken meat, cooked and shredded (sometimes we just chop and cook it)

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

Heat a large pot of medium head and add in the cooking fat. When hot, stir in garlic and onions and saute. When onions are slightly translucent add the stock, celery, carrots, parsley, and chicken. Sprinkle salt and pepper and give one good stir. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and let simmer for 1 hour stirring occasionally.

Sausage and Eggplant - On the Grill!

Sausage and Eggplant - On the Grill!

1-2 eggplants, sliced crosswise 1/2 in thick

2 tblsp melted cooking fat

1/2 tblsp fresh thyme

1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper

1/8 tsp salt

6-9 assorted sausages

Heat grill to medium-high. Brush eggplant slices on both sides with the cooking fat. Place in a bowl or shallow baking dish. Add the thyme, pepper, and salt. Toss.

Place eggplant slices on hot grill (or in grill basket). Grill until golden crust forms on the first side, 7-8 minutes. Turn and grill on second side, 6-7 minutes more. Transfer to platter and keep warm.

Arrange sausages on the grill. Grill, turning often, until the juices run clear when the sausages are pierced with a knife, 10-15 minutes. Remove sausages from the grill and arrange on one or more platters with the eggplant slices. Serve.

Roasted Tomato Soup

Thought you could never have a velvety, creamy, smooth tomato soup after giving up dairy? Think again! The other vegetables help give this soup the creamy goodness we have come to know and love from tomato soups without any of that pesky dairy.

Roasted Creamy Tomato Soup

2 onions, roughly chopped

3 carrots, roughly diced

2 stalks of celery, roughly diced

3 cloves garlic, peeled

6 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and roughly chopped

1/4 cooking fat, melted (we used lard)

3+ c chicken stock

3 tblsp fresh herbs of choice (we used basil, marjoram, and thyme) minced

Preheat oven to 400F. On a baking sheet, add the onions, carrots, celery, garlic and tomatoes. Drizzle with melted cooking fat and salt and pepper to taste. Roast the vegetables in the oven until the carrots are tender, about 25 minutes.

While the vegetables are roasting, add the herbs to the stock in a large pot and simmer.

Once vegetables are done roasting, puree using a blender, food processor, or immersion blender adding in the stock. Depending on how think you like your soup you may need more stock to thin it out. You can either serve it now or let it simmer a little longer to get the herbs infusing with the blended vegetables.

Sweet and Spicy Hash

Love love love sweet and spicy, sweet and salty, whatever. Contrasting flavors are a huge weakness of mine. This recipe is also quite versatile and easy to change it up depending on your personal taste preferences.

Sweet and Spicy Hash

4 sweet potatoes, peeled and grated

1 lb canadian bacon, diced

2 spicy red chiles, seeded and minced (I suggest wearing gloves while handling!)

1 green pepper, diced

1 red pepper, diced

1 small yellow onion, diced

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

salt and pepper to taste

cooking fat (we used roughly 1/4 c bacon grease)

Heat the cooking fat in a cast iron skillet. Saute the onions until transluscent then add the canadian bacon. Brown the canadian bacon until desired doneness (we like ours a bit crispy) then toss in red chiles. Add sweet potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened. About 5 -10 minutes. Sprinkle the spices on top and stir in gently. I like my hashbrowns crispy so I let it sit for a couple minutes then flip, turning off the stove (cast iron holds heat extremely well).

Filling by itself but getting topped with a couple fried eggs would up the protein.

Stuffed Peppers

Stuffed Peppers

6 bell peppers, assorted colors

4 strips thick bacon, chopped

1/2 lb ground pork

1/2 lb ground venison/beef (we used beef because we don't currently have venison)

1/4 c celery, diced

1 c onion, diced

1/4 c garlic, minced

1/2 c green onion, chopped

2 large eggs, beaten

Cut tops out of bell peppers and remove inside seeds. Dice tops and save for later. Soak peppers in boiling water for five minutes to soften. Cook bacon in large skillet until cripsy to render the fat. Once brown, remove from skillet and set aside for later. Add ground deer/beef and pork to skillet. Using a wooden spoon, chop meats well to incorporate. Once meat is thoroughly browned (10-12 minutes), add celery, onion, garlic, and reserved pepper tops. Saute for another 10-15 minutes until onions are cooked. Preheat oven to 350. Mix green onions well with the meat filling. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly in bowl. Once cooled, fold in the beaten egs and season to taste with black pepper. Stuff peppers generously with mixture. Place in oven and cook until brown on top (about 30 minutes).

Crock pot varition: Grease inside of crock pot with cooking fat and place the filled peppers in the crock pot. Cook on high for 1-2 hours, until the meat mixture is set(ish, you just want the eggs cooked).

Jalapeno Honey Grilled Salmon

Honey and Jalapeno Grilled Salmon (this serves 6 because I LOVE LOVE LOVE salmon)

6 salmon filets with skin

1/2 c lime juice

3 tblsp melted cooking fat

4-5 tsp jalapeno, minced

1 tsp lime zest, grated

1/4 c honey (local, raw)

2 limes, halved

Salt

Carefully make certain there are no bones in the filets. PLace the fish into a shallow dish (not aluminum). In a small bowl, stir together the lime juice, melted fat, 2 tsp jalapeno, garlic, and lime zest. Pour mixture over the salmon, turning to coat it. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours, turning occasionally. Bring to room temperature before cooking (sitting out it takes about 30 minutes).

Remove salmon from the marinade, and pour the marinade into a saucepan. Place the pan over high heat, bringing it to a boil. Boil until reduced by about half. Stir in the honey and set aside to use as a glaze.

Place salmon on a medium-hot grill (make sure to grease the rack) and cook, turning once, until the fish is opaque throughout when pierced with a knife, 6-7 minutes on each side.

Transfer the salmon to a serving platter. Season it with salt and squeeze some lime juice over it all. Brush each filet with the glaze and sprinkle with remaining jalapeno. Eat immediately.

Beef Goulash

Beef goulash

Cooking fat

1/2 lb stewing beef, cut in cubes

2 medium onions, sliced

1 large garlic clove, crushed and minced

1 bell pepper, sliced

2 tbsp smoked paprika (this can be adjusted to taste, don’t be scared to use a lot of it)

1 can chopped tomatoes (fresh tomatoes is even better)

1 1/2 cups beef stock

Chopped parsley for garnishing (optional)

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepperto taste

Preheat your oven to 350 F. Brown the beef cubes in a pot with the cooking fat. Set the beef aside and now brown the onions. Add the garlic and bell pepper and cook to soften for about 5 minutes on a medium heat. Place back the beef in the pot and add the spices, tomatoes, and stock. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Place a lid on the pot and transfer to the hotoven. Let cook for about 2 hours to 2 1/2 hours, until the beef is fork tender.

Slight variation: we like to do this in the crock pot. I will brown the beef, cook the veggies, then dump everything in the crock pot for an hour or 2 on high then 2-3 hours on low, until the beef is fork tender.

Chicken Tacos

Chicken Tacos

Cooking fat

2-3 lbs chicken meat, diced fairly small

Taco Seasoning

1 tomato, chopped

1/2 red onion, finely chopped

1/2 c cilantro, chopped

Coconut flour tortillas (as follows) or lettuce wraps

Brown chicken pieces in the cooking fat. Add taco seasoning and either prepare according to the package or, if using the homemade seasoning, add the seasoning and about 1/2-1 c water. Let simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the seasoning/water mixture has thickened. Serve in coconut tortillas topped with the tomato, red onion, and cilantro. Feel free to add whatever you love on tacos.

Slight variation: You could make a salad out of it by chopping up some lettuce and using guacamole/salsa as the dressing.

Coconut Flour Tortillas

1/4 c coconut flour

8 large eggs whites

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 c water

Cooking fat (I suggest coconut oil)

Whish all ingredients together in a bowl, making sure no lumps remain. If you want thinner tortillas add 1-2 tsp more water. Preheat a small nonstick skillet over medium heat. Place about 1 tsp cooking fat in the pan. Swirl around to coat. Pour about 3 tblsp of the batter into the pan, tipping the pan from side to side while you pour the batter (to get a very thing tortilla). Do not attempt to flip the tortilla until you are sure the first side is golden brown. Otherwise, the tortilla will rip. Once golden brown, flip over and brown on opposite side. Remove to plate and repeat process. There should be about 8-10 medium-sized tortillas.

You can do these a day or two ahead and store in a ziplock bag. Just reheat when they are needed. Also, feel free to play around with them a bit. Add different spices for more flavor.

Grilled Ratatouille

I am going to try and get all the recipes from Facebook moved over here. I will do as many as I can tonight. After all the recipes are moved, I will share why I do Paleo!

Grilled Ratatouille

2 small eggplants (1/2 lb each), cut into 1/4 in slices

salt

1 large sweet onion, peeled and soaked for 30 minutes

1 large green bell pepper

1 large red bell pepper

2 tomatoes, halved

1/4 c cooking fat, melted

2 yellow squashes, cut lengthwise into 1/4 in slices

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 tsp fresh thyme, chopped

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1 tblsp fresh dill, chopped

Sprinkle eggplant slices with salt and place in a colander. Let it stand for 30 min to draw out some of the liquid.

If using a coal grill, put the onion directly into the coals. If not, then just place in in direct heat. Cook until easily pierced with a sharp knife, about 30 min. Remove the onion from coals/heat and let it cool.

Brush the eggplant slices, (whole) peppers, and tomatoes with the melted fat. Place the eggplant around the edge of the heat and the peppers and tomatoes (cut sides down) in the center, on the heat. Cover the grill. Cook, turning occasionally, until eggplant and tomatoes are tender (about 10 min) and the peppers are charred on all sides (about 25 min). Transfer vegetables to a cutting board. Drape the peppers in a foil tent for 10 min then peel the skin off. Remove the stems, seeds, and ribs, then cut into 1/4 in strips.

Brush squash slices with cooking fat. While other vegetables are cooling, grill the squash, turning once, until tender. About 10 min. total.

Peel the onion and cut in half. Then cut in 1/4 in slices. Transfer to a large bowl. Roughly chop the tomatoes and squash; cut the eggplant into strips. Add into the bowl with the peppers. Add about 3 tblsp melted cooking fat (I suppose olive oil could work here) and the garlic, thyme, salt, and red pepper flakes. Toss to mix. Sprinkle with chopped dill.

Best Damn Chicken

I accidentally made this recipe one night. I just wanted a garlic Sriracha roasted chicken recipe but the roasted garlic/Sriracha mixture wasn't enough for the blender to blend up. So I started throwing other things in that I thought were great. This is what happened. I will be completely and totally honest: if I had to eat one food for the rest of my life THIS would be That Food. It works great for whole chickens, chicken parts, and Cornish hens. It is so amazeballs. Cave Dad took leftovers in his lunch for work and got upset that there was no more chicken to dip in the fantastic glaze this makes.



We are hoping to one day amass enough bones and leftover glaze to make an amazing Asian style soup with cabbage and kelp noodles and all sorts of great things. That will be for another day.

On to the recipe!

Ingredients
1 head garlic
3 tbsp cooking fat
2 tbsp coconut aminos
3 tbsp teriyaki sauce
3 tbsp Sriracha (or 5 tbsp of my Homemade Sriracha because it isn't as spicy)
1 whole chicken, innards removed

Peel the garlic and coat in 1 tblsp melted cooking fat. Roast in 350° oven for about 20 minutes. Puree first five ingredients (everything but chicken). Coat the chicken with it. You can refrigerate for a couple hours or pop it right into the oven. Bake in a Dutch oven at 350° for 1.5 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 165°. While it is resting, get all the drippings and juices and pour in a small sauce pan. Boil until reduced by half. Devour chicken dipped in the glaze.

Homemade Sriracha, WHAT?!

We are a Sriracha house. We loooove the rooster sauce. 
Pictured here: Cave Toddler attempting to drink straight from the bottle.

The ingredients aren't really too terrible (Chili, sugar, salt, garlic, distilled vinegar, potassium sorbate, sodium bisulfite and xanthan gum) but we try to avoid additives and we get a shit ton of chilis through out the summer from our Terripin Farms CSA. What better way to use them up than making our favorite sauce?

Ingredients
1 lb chilis
1/8 c apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp raw honey
3/4 tsp salt
4 oz water

Slice and seed chilies then dry roast in a 375F degree oven 20-25 minutes.

Blend with apple cider vinegar, salt, water, and honey until it has a smooth appearance. Bring to a boil in a small sauce pan for 5 minutes continually stirring. Strain the mixture to remove any remaining peels and seeds.

Yields approximately 8 oz.

Lasts about 7-10 days. Use your nose to check.

Flourless Chocolate Mug Cake

I actually made a dessert recipe! It is crazy to me because I can follow a dessert recipe easy enough but making one myself? Yeah, no. This recipe can be whipped up in less than five minutes, including cook time! I know some in Paleo Land are against microwaves but that isn't us. I have become a little addicted to this recipe. Cave Dad works over nights so I find myself making a cake and watching TV before bed more than a couple nights a week. It is probably not good but better than the wheat and processed sugar filled cakes I have seen in the past.

Ingredients
1 egg
2 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp raw honey (or maple syrup)
2 tbsp cooking fat (both butter and lard work well)
1/8 tsp gluten-free baking powder
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
splash of pure vanilla extract

Get a mug. A large one works best. I think the one I use is a 16 oz mug. Whisk all ingredients together in the mug. Microwave on high for 1 minute 30 seconds to 2 minutes, until it is set all the way through and there isn't extra liquid in the bottom. It will be very hot when you take it out so let it cool for a bit before digging in.

Eat as is or top with raw cream or coconut milk ice cream or whatever your little heart desires. I have heard almond butter and chocolate go well together.

Just the Beginning - Weekly Staples

I am still finding my way around this and attempting to add recipes. Trying to decide if I should do one at a time or sectioned off into groups. With Weekly Staples I am going to start off in a group and decide what to do with everything else.

In looking at other's blogs I notice they type a lot before the recipes. I am not really sure what to begin saying so I figure I will make different parts to my paleo/primal story with recipes attached. Sound good? Cool. Also, Cave Daddy (that sounds weird, might change his nickname later) created an AMAZING barbecue sauce recipe but he won't let me share it. Boo. Hopefully I can talk him out of that stance. 

On with the recipes!

Chicken Bone Broth

chicken carcass (or two or three)

Some peppercorns

bay leaf

3-5 garlic cloves

half onion

chopped celery stalk (optional)

chopped Carrot (optional)

Throw everything in a crock pot and just barely cover with water. Let it cook on low for about 24 hours. Strain the solids out and refridgerate the broth. Use within five days or freeze. If it has a gel-like consistency that is perfectly okay and normal. Could also be done on the stove =]

Beef Bone Broth

Several beef bones

Some peppercorns

Bay leaf

3-5 garlic cloves

whole onion (chunked)

chopped celery stalk (optional)

chopped Carrot (optional)

Preheat oven to 350F. Place bones in a single layer on a roasting pan and pop in the oven for about 20 minutes or until browned. Throw everything in a crock pot and just barely cover with water. Let it cook on low for about 72 hours. Strain the solids out and refridgerate the broth. Use within five days or freeze. If it has a gel-like consistency that is perfectly okay and normal. Could also be done on the stove =]

Homemade Mayo

1 egg

1/4 c light olive oil

1 tsp mustard powder

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp lemon juice OR apple cider vinegar

1 c light olive oil

Put first five ingredients in food processor and blend well. While it is still running, slowly add the full cup of olive oil. You will notice when the mayo starts to come together. The process of adding the cup of oil should take 3-5 minutes. You seriously can't add it too slow but if you add it too fast it could "break" the mayo (the egg and the oil will separate). Should keep in the fridge for about a week.

Eeek! My Own Blog!

I cannot tell you how excited I am to get this thing started. It will take a little adjustment and learning on my part but I feel having my own blog will help organize all my recipes and ingredients better. Doing things this way will help answer everyone's questions and get more people interested (I hope!). I love doing this for anyone who wants it. I can't wait to recommend my favourite bloggers and brands. I have a ton of ideas for this! If anyone has any input I would be glad to hear it. Constructive criticism is always a great thing.