Tribal Pie... Paleo Approved Comfort Food

Soooo, after my comment about comfort food making this challenge easier, I have been working on making our favorites paleo friendly. 

Take last nights dinner for example;  something I have decided to call Tribal Pie (it's a take on Shepard's pie).  It was absolutely everything Stefan and I love about Shepard's Pie..  lots of flavor, hearty, and most of all the wonderful, almost sinful, potato topping.  I think we actually liked this version more than the others I have made before.  This is defiantly going to make a return appearance to our table..  maybe even once a week  =)  (just kidding). 

Sorry, there are no pictures accompanying this one..  I didn't finish making it last night until almost 8 (I made Stefan go with me to pick up my new sewing table or it would have been done earlier).  Once this hit the table, there wasn't time for me to snap a picture before Stefan and Kira were digging in. 

This can be made with 1 lb of whatever meat you have.  I happened to have leftover lamb leg in the fridge so I used that.  However, this would also be good with ground beef or lamb.

So, without further ado....

Tribal Pie
makes 4 servings

1       lb          Cooked Lamb Leg (cut up in small pieces)
2       tbsp       olive oil
3       Cloves  Garlic  (diced)
1                    carrot  (peeled and diced)
1       small    onion  (diced)
1 1/2 cup       Green Beans   (I used frozen)
4       oz          mushrooms (sliced)
1       cup        Peas  (I know someone is going to say this isn't Paleo..  but it depends on who you ask)
a few shakes of worcestershire sauce
                   (click here for how to make a paleo version  http://paleodietlifestyle.com/homemade-paleo-condiments/#s10)
1       cup        Beef broth
3-4   Tbsp      Tomato Paste
1-2   Tbsp      Thyme
Salt and Pepper to taste
A little Paprika

For Potato Topping

1 Large Sweet Potato
1 Small Head Cauliflower
1/3 to 1/2 Cup Coconut Cream
Salt and Pepper


Directions

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees C.
• Chop and steam your cauliflower and sweet potato until soft. 
• Let cool
• Place potato, cauliflower and Cream (start with 1/3 cup) in food processor and process until smooth.  It should be a little thick, but if it won't mix well add a bit more cream. 
• Season with salt and pepper then set aside.

To make filling

• Add oil to a large pan and heat over medium heat. 
• Add onion and garlic and saute for 2-3 mins
• Add mushrooms and carrots and saute another 3-4 minutes. 
• Add green beans, peas, worcestershire sauce, beef broth, tomato paste, thyme and salt and pepper. 
• Mix well
• Turn heat down just a bit and allow to simmer for about 10-15 mins.
• Stir every so often and make sure it doesn't get to dry..  (if it does just add a bit more broth)
• After simmering, remove from heat and put contents of pan into a medium casserole dish.  (When I say medium I mean any size that will hold both the "pie" ingredients and the potato topping without overflowing.  I used a 2 1/2 quart casserole dish)
• Spread potato topping over the meat mixture
• Sprinkle with a little paprika over the top
• Place into oven and bake for about 20 minutes.
• Remove and enjoy..  CAUTION it will be extremely hot on the inside.

 

Final Day of Week 1 Paleo Challenge

So here it is guys.  Final day of week one.  Let me just say, this is tough.  My first three days I really felt like this challenge was going to be a piece of cake.  I didn't have any cravings, I was happy with the food choices, everything was new.  Day 4 I hit a bump in the road...  and cheated.  The snickers ice cream bars in my freezer just wouldn't shut up.   I could hear them all the way up in my laundry room on the third floor.  I ignored them for 3 hours...  but then they won out. 

Darn you chocolate, caramel, peanut goodness..  Why do you have such control over me????

But I did learn a lesson..  My will power is not stronger than a snickers bar...  =(  Which means I can no longer have those things in my house.  So I made Stefan take them to work. 

Ode to Snickers
Oh how I will miss thee
Your creamy goodness
Your cold chocolaty sweetness
Your crunchy yummy nuts.. 
But alas, I am better off
For now my butt won't grow
And maybe I can get off the couch and go

Anyways...  after that the cravings haven't been toooooo bad for non paleo food.  I do feel a bit unsatisfied with my food.  I'm sure that is mostly in my head.  (At least that's what I have to tell myself to get through the days).  Trying to come up with more Paleo friendly comfort food.  I think that will help me with the dissatisfaction in my food. 

How is everyone else doing?  Finding it easier or more difficult than you thought?  Cravings?

With the idea of comfort food in mind, I have come up with a new take on egg salad, which is one of my favorite things.  Why you ask??  I don't know since I am really not a huge fan of eggs.  But I think it has something to do with the creamy goodness of the mayo and the slight bite of the mustard.  Now we all know that mayo isn't really paleo.. unless you make it your self, but that is a whole nother post.  So instead of mayo we are using avocados for the creamy base texture.  Then adding guacamole ingredients gives it a nice cool, spicy (if you add enough jalapeno) different flavor.  Enough to make the mouth and brain think that "ohhh  this can't be paleo", so it is more mentally satisfying. 

So if I haven't totally bored you enough that you have left the page..  here is the recipe.

Guacamole Egg Salad

 

 

Serves 2-3                               Prep Time 15 Minutes                    Cook Time 10 Minutes

Ingredients

1                 Haas Avocado
4                 Eggs                   
1/4 - 1/2     of a Tomato         (remove seeds and dice)
1 Slice       Pickled Jalapeno  (dice fine)
1 Tbsp       Onion                   (diced fine)
1 Tbsp       cilantro                 (diced)
1 Tbsp       Dijon Mustard
Juice of a 1/4 of a Lime
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions

• Boil eggs in water for 10 minutes
• Peel Eggs, rinse, then cut them up into a small bowl

• Remove avocado from skin into medium bowl
• Smash with fork until smooth

• Add diced tomato, onion, cilantro, jalapeno, lime juice and salt and pepper.
• Mix well
• Fold in Eggs
• Test to see if it is moist enough for you
• If not, add the Dijon mustard
• Taste and adjust salt, pepper, and lime juice as needed

Enjoy!  Store this in the refrigerator.  Will remain good for about 3 days.
You can serve this with a paleo crepe, as show in the picture or stuffed in a tomato or sweet pepper.  Or wrap it up in a lettuce leaf.  The options are endless.

If you want this to be spicier you can add more jalapeno.  If you don't want to use pickled jalapeno you can use fresh, just remember to remove the seeds before adding to the rest of the ingredients. 


 

Sunflower Seed Butter

 



Are you on a Paleo diet?  Want to control what goes into your food?  Are your kids not allowed to take peanut products to school but won't eat anything but peanut butter for lunch?  If any of these sound like you then this recipe is for you.  Good for you butter that has no allergens and taste remarkably like natural peanut butter.  This is a very simple recipe that uses only 3 or 4 ingredient and that you can tailor to your own liking. 

There are so many things you can do with the final product.  Spread it on bread (nonpaleo).  Make crackers from almond powder and sesame seeds and use it on those.  Use it for a dip on veggies.  Add it to shakes for more good for you fats and some great flavor.  You can even be like the tribal chief and mix it with avocado for a really nice creamy dip or spread.  The uses are endless..

Ingredients

500 grams           Sunflower Seeds without the hull

1-2 Tbsp             Olive oil
1-2 tsp                Honey
salt to taste

Directions

• Heat a large frying pan over medium heat 
• Add sunflower seeds and toast lightly 
• Place toasted seeds into a food processor
• Process seeds until they have formed a thick paste
• Add honey and process a little more until it forms a big sticky ball 
• At this point start adding your oil a little at a time making sure to process a bit after each addition 
• Add oil until the butter has reached the desired consistency 

Once finished place in an air tight container and enjoy!! 
Now, there are two schools of thought on how to store this.  Some say keep it in the refrigerator, others say you don't have to.  I will leave it up to you to decide how you want to store it.  I'm sure it will last longer in the fridge.  Personally, I didn't put it in the fridge this time, but probably will next time as we aren't eating our as quickly as I thought we would.

Just a note...  This process is all about patience.  With my processor it takes about 10-15 minutes to reach the stage where I add the honey. Then another minute or two until I start adding oil.  Do NOT add oil to soon or you won't get a creamy consistency as the final product.  Also, do not buy already toasted seeds, they won't work right because they don't have enough oil in them after the commercial toasting process.  Also, if you buys seeds that are already salted, omit salt from recipe.  You can add as much honey as you desire but if you are Paleo or watching your weight try to keep it to a minimum.

When processing, you may have to stop and scrape the side of the bowl occasionally.  Personally, I just hold the processor tight and shake it..  However, I don't recommend this as it probably is not safe  =). 

(As a side note, I have pictures of the process that I will post in the near future..  Just haven't gotten there yet.)