Category Archives: Dairy Free

Beef Bulgogi and Sweet Potato Bowls

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beef-bowlby Karen Frazier

I’ve been on a bit of an Asian flavor kick lately – so this recipe probably won’t surprise you. 🙂 These bowls are nothing but goodness with lovely spiced beef, starchy sweet potatoes, and lots of garnishes.

  • 6 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoons grated ginger root
  • 1/4 cup chopped, fresh cilantro
  • 1/4 cup coconut aminos
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1/2 cup rice vinegar or coconut vinegar
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 2 packet stevia or 4 tablespoons honey, divided*
  • 1 pound flank steak, hanger steak, or flat-iron steak, cut into 1/2 inch thick strips against the grain
  • 1 cucumber, julienned
  • 4 tablespoons coconut oil, divided
  • 2 sweet potatoes, cubed
  • 1 carrot, julienned
  • 1/4 cup bean sprouts
  • 3 green onions, thinly sliced on the bias
  • 2 eggs
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  1. In a food processor, combine the garlic, ginger root, cilantro, coconut aminos, sesame oil, 1/2 cup of the vinegar, olive oil, red pepper flakes, and 1 packet of the stevia or 2 tablespoons of the honey. Process until pureed.
  2. Place the strips of steak in a gallon sized plastic zipper bag and add the marinade. Seal and refrigerate for eight hours.
  3. In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1/4 cup of vinegar with 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt and 1 packet of stevia or two tablespoons of honey. Add the cucumber. Refrigerate for a few hours.
  4. In a large skillet, heat two tablespoons of the coconut oil on medium-high. Add the sweet potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about ten minutes. Set aside tented with foil.
  5. In the same skillet, heat the remaining two tablespoons of coconut oil on medium-high. Remove the beef from the marinade and pat dry with a paper towel. Cook the beef in the hot oil until cooked through, about five minutes.
  6. In a small nonstick skillet, fry two eggs, sunny side up or easy over. Season with salt and pepper.
  7. To assemble the bowls, divide the sweet potatoes into two bowls. Top with the beef, the carrots, the pickled cucumber, the been sprouts, and the green onions. Top with the fried egg.

*For Whole30, omit the honey and stevia and instead add 1 chopped medjool date to the marinade and omit any sweetener from the cucumber pickle.

photo credit: Dolsot bibimbap @ L’Arbre de Sel @ Montparnasse @ Paris via photopin (license)

Spicy Ginger Cucumber Salad with Crispy Pork Belly

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3246364802_4c7c793966by Karen Frazier

I have to admit – I am not a huge fan of cucumbers except in certain circumstances. I won’t just sit down and eat cucumber – but I do like it as an acidic and refreshing counterpoint to something super spicy. So the other day, I picked up some organic cucumbers at the grocery store with the thought I’d do a refreshing and spicy dish of some kind. This is what I threw together today (I failed to take a photo of it – sorry), and it was super delicious.  I just put crispy slices of the pork belly right on top of the salad.

It’s low-carb, paleo, and can be Whole30 compliant, as well.

Crispy Pork Belly

  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • Pinch cayenne
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 pound pork belly, thinly sliced like thick sliced bacon
  1. In a small bowl, combine the salt, pepper, cayenne, garlic powder, and onion powder.
  2. Preheat a skillet on medium-high.
  3. Season the pork belly slices with the seasoning blend. Put in the hot skillet. Cook just like you would bacon, until crispy. Slice and put on top of the salad (below).

Spicy Ginger Cucumber Salad

  • 4 organic cucumbers, spiralized into angel hair noodles (or just julienne them)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, divided
  • 1 cup julienned radish
  • 6 scallions, thinly sliced on the bias
  • 3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger root
  • 1 to 2 thai chilies, minced (or 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce)
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon Chinese hot mustard powder
  • 1 teaspoon expeller pressed sesame oil
  • 1 packet stevia (optional – omit for Whole30 or add 1/2 finely chopped Medjool date for a bit of sweetness)
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 cup EVOO
  1. Put the cucumbers in a colander over a bowl and sprinkle them with 1 teaspoon of the sea salt. Allow the water to drain for 30 minutes. Rinse the cucumbers and pat them dry with a paper towel. Put them in a large bowl.
  2. Add the radish, scallions, and sesame seeds and toss to combine.
  3. In a blender or food processor, combine the ginger root, thai chilies, garlic, Chinese hot mustard powder, sesame oil, stevia, apple cider vinegar, EVOO, and the remaining half teaspoon of sea salt. Blend on high until emulsified. Toss with the salad.

photo credit: Vilseskogen harvest via photopin (license)

Paleo (and Whole30) Chicken Pad Thai with Thai “Peanut” Sauce

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img_2661by Karen Frazier

Oh man do I love pad Thai, and it’s something I’ve missed eating in the few years since I went completely paleo. I decided – after 2 1/2 years – to make my own. It’s a bit labor intensive, but if you love pad Thai like I do, it’s well worth the effort. I made my tamarind paste from pods, but if you can find some with paleo/Whole30-approved ingredients, feel free to use that, instead.

Tamarind Paste

  • 10 tamarind pods
  • Boiling water
  1. Peel away all the tough outer shell of the pods, and use a sharp paring knife to remove any of the woody spines and discard them.
  2. Place the tamarind in a heat proof glass measuring cup and just cover them with boiling water. Allow the pods to soak in the hot water for 45 minutes.
  3. Reserve 3 tablespoons of the soaking water and set aside. Discard the rest of the water.
  4. Put the tamarind in a bowl and mash with a potato masher. Remove any solids (seeds or more spines) and discard them.
  5. Place a wire mesh sieve over a bowl. Spoon the tamarind into the sieve. Using the back of a wooden spoon, press the tamarind through the sieve. Do this for about five minutes, using a rubber scraper to scrape the paste from the bottom side of the sieve into the bowl every minute or two. You should wind up with about 1/4 cup of the paste. The goal is to get as much of the paste as possible away from the seeds and pulp.
  6. Stir in the reserved liquid.

Thai “Peanut” Sauce

  • 1 1/2 cups organic sugar-free almond butter
  • 1/2 cup coconut milk
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • Juice of three limes
  • 1 tablespoon minced ginger root
  • 1 thai chili, finely minced (optional)
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 3 tablespoons coconut aminos
  • 1 tablespoon Red Boat fish sauce

In a food processor, combine all ingredients. Blend until smooth.

Pad Thai

  • 3 tablespoons Red boat fish sauce
  • 3 tablespoons coconut aminos
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper, divided
  • 8 garlic cloves, minced, divided
  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into thin strips
  • 4 tablespoons coconut oil, divided
  • 2 shallots, thinly sliced and broken up into rings
  • 1 large carrot, julienned (or grated)
  • 1 red bell pepper, julienned
  • 6 green onions, thinly sliced, divided
  • 1/4 cup tamarind paste
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1 to 2 thai chilies, finely minced (or to taste)
  • 4 to 6 zucchini, spiralized into spaghetti style noodles (enough for about five cups)
  • 1/4 cup bean sprouts
  • 1 lime, quartered
  • 1/4 cup chopped cashews
  • 1/4 cup chopped, fresh cilantro
  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the fish sauce, coconut aminos, 1/8 teaspoon of the pepper, and 4 of the garlic cloves. Add the chicken. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour and up to 8 hours.
  2. In a large skillet or wok, heat two tablespoons of the coconut oil on medium high. Remove the chicken from the marinade and cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked through, five to seven minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
  3. In the same pan, heat the remaining two tablespoons of coconut oil on medium-high. Add the shallots, carrots, red bell peppers, thai chilies, and half of the green onions. Cook, stirring, for one minute.
  4. Add the zucchini noodles and cook, stirring, for three to four minutes more, until the vegetables are crisp tender. Add the remaining 4 garlic cloves and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds.
  5. Add the tamarind paste, water, and the remaining 1/8 teaspoon of pepper. Return the chicken to the pan. Cook, stirring, until the noodles are coated with sauce and water evaporates, about two minutes more.
  6. Serve garnished with bean sprouts, the remaining green onions, the cashews, the cilantro, and the lime wedges. Spoon peanut sauce over the top.

Lebanese Garlic Chicken Thighs and Warm Spinach Salad

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img_2619by Karen Frazier

I’m on day 22 of my Whole30 30-day challenge, and I’ve been tinkering in the kitchen. Yesterday, I decided to make Lebanese garlic sauce. Today, I decided to spread it on chicken thighs. The result? Delicious!

The recipe is Whole30 approved when you use sugar-free bacon (I like it from US Wellness Meats), as well as paleo and low-carb.

Lebanese Garlic Sauce

Makes about 2 1/2 cups

  • 1/2 cup peeled garlic cloves
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 cups EVOO
  • Juice of 3 lemons
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
  1. In a food processor or blender, combine the garlic cloves and sea salt. Blend, scraping down the sides occasionally, until the garlic cloves make a fine paste.
  2. Add the EVOO in a very thin stream with the food processor still running until it is completely incorporated. This step will take about 10 minutes.
  3. Add the lemon juice and pepper. Blend briefly to mix.

This has pretty good kick, but you can taste and adjust by adding more olive oil or lemon juice to suit your own taste buds, which is what I do. Even after I’ve added the lemon juice, I add extra olive oil, just making sure it goes in a thin stream. This will store in your fridge, tightly sealed, for a few weeks. If you prefer a more neutrally flavored oil, you can use another expeller pressed oil, such as avocado oil, or use half avocado oil and half EVOO. I like the California Olive Ranch everyday EVOO, which has a mild flavor.

Lebanese Garlic Chicken Thighs

Serves 4

  • 8 whole chicken thighs
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 8 tablespoons Lebanese garlic sauce
  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Place the chicken thighs, skin side up, in a large baking or roasting pan and sprinkle them with the sea salt and black pepper.
  3. Spread each with one tablespoon (or more) of the Lebanese garlic sauce.
  4. Bake in the preheated oven for 70 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.

I like to make enough for two meals – my motto is cook once and eat twice. It’s a great time saver.

Warm Spinach Salad

Serves 4

  • 6 slices sugar-free bacon, chopped
  • 1 shallot, finely chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
  • Juice of half an orange
  • 1/4 cup white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar, or champagne vinegar
  • 10 ounces baby spinach
  1. In a medium saute pan on medium-high heat, brown the bacon until all the fat is rendered. Remove the bacon from the fat in the pan with a slotted spoon and set it aside.
  2. Add the shallot to the fat in the pan along with the salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, for one minute.
  3. Add the orange juice and vinegar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is reduced by half, three or four minutes.
  4. In a large bowl, combine the spinach and the bacon. Toss with the warm vinaigrette and serve immediately.

 

Low-Carb, Paleo Hummus

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img_2608by Karen Frazier

I love hummus and when I went paleo, it was one of the most difficult things to give up. Fortunately, I came up with a fabulous replacement that tastes just like the real stuff, but is paleo friendly, low-carb, and Whole30 compliant when you serve it with chopped veggies.

  • 1 medium zucchini, roughly chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves (or to taste)
  • 3 tablespoons Italian parsley
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon tahini

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until smooth. Drizzle with EVOO.

 

Crispy Pork Belly and Shiitake Mushrooms on Asian Slaw

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IMG_2559.JPGby Karen Frazier

For the new year, I’ve embarked on a Whole30 30-day re-set through my Nia/yoga studio. Although I tend to eat fairly cleanly or suffer the consequences, my habits towards the end of the year slipped a bit, so a Whole30 clean eating re-set is the perfect way to banish some inflammation I know built up over the holidays. For today’s recipe, I use pork belly that I get from Tenderbelly. It’s as delicious as it sounds.

Crispy Pork Belly and Shiitake Mushrooms on Asian Slaw

For the pork and mushrooms

  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 pound pork belly, thinly sliced (about like thick cut bacon-width) and then cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 2 tablespoons duck fat (or lard or another Whole30 friendly fat)
  • 8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, quartered

For the slaw

  • 6 cups of shredded cabbage
  • 2 carrots, peeled and grated
  • 1 bunch green onions, sliced
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • 2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons raw apple cider vinegar
  • Juice of one orange
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

For the pork belly:

  1. In a small bowl, mix the sea salt, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and black pepper. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the pork belly.
  2. In a large skillet (I use a 12-inch cast iron skillet), heat the duck fat on medium-high until it shimmers.
  3. Add the pork belly and mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pork belly is crisp, about eight minutes.

For the slaw:

  1. In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, carrots, and green onions.
  2. In a small glass measuring cup, whisk together the garlic, ginger, cilantro, sea salt, pepper, apple cider vinegar, orange, and olive oil until combined. Toss with the slaw.
  3. To assemble, spoon the dressed slaw onto a plate or into a bowl. Top with the shiitake and pork belly. Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions, if desired.

Southwestern Marinated Tri-Tip Salad

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tri-tipby Karen Frazier

Looking for an easy grilled meal with big flavor payoff? This is what’s on the Frazier table tonight…it’s delicious, low-carb, paleo, healthy, and easy to make. It takes less than 30 minutes of active time.

For the steak:

  • 8 garlic cloves
  • 1 bunch green onions, roughly chopped
  • 1 jalapeno, seeds and ribs removed and roughly chopped
  • Juice of 3 limes
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 to 3 pounds tri tip steaks

For the salad:

  • 6 cups iceberg lettuce
  • 12 cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 bunch green onions, sliced
  • 1 avocado, peeled and pitted
  • Juice of 2 limes
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • 1/4 cup chopped, fresh cilantro
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 to 1 teaspoon finely chopped jalapeno, seeds and ribs removed
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

For the steak:

  1. In a food processor, combine the garlic, green onions, jalapeño, lime juice, sea salt, cilantro, and olive oil. Process until it forms a paste. Set aside one tablespoon of the paste.
  2. Marinate the steaks in the cilantro mixture for two to four hours.
  3. Heat your grill to medium-high.
  4. Wipe away any excess marinade.
  5. Grill the steaks until medium-rare, five to seven minutes per side.
  6. Rest the steak for ten minutes. Then, slice it into slices against the grain. Toss the warm steak with the reserved marinade.

For the salad:

  1. In a large bowl, toss the lettuce, tomatoes, green onion.
  2. In a blender or food processor, combine the avocado, lime juice, garlic, cilantro, salt, jalapeño, and olive oil. Blend until smooth.
  3. Toss the dressing with the salad.
  4. Top with the sliced steak.

photo credit: Tri Tip Dinner via photopin (license)

Clam Chowder (Paleo-Style)

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clam chowderby Karen Frazier

Clam chowder….what can I say? It’s a family favorite, but with my Celiac disease and dairy allergy, I’ve had to make it over in a way that works for my diet. This version is made with anti-inflammatory ingredients, and it’s lowish in carbs and paleo, so it’s perfect for people with all sorts of inflammatory autoimmune conditions, like Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.

  • 6 slices pepper bacon, cut into pieces
  • 1 fennel bulb, chopped
  • 1 celery stalk, chopped
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 4 carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 8 cups bone broth
  • 2 (6-ounce) cans clams, undrained
  • 1 celery root (celeriac), peeled and cut into half-inch cubes
  • 2 teaspoons dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • Pinch red pepper flakes (or to taste – I like mine a bit on the spicy side)
  • 3 tablespoons arrowroot powder
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fennel fronds
  1. In a large pot, cook the pepper bacon on medium-high until it is browned. Remove the bacon from the fat in the pot with a slotted spoon and set it aside.
  2. To the fat in the pan, add the fennel, celery, onion, and carrot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to brown, five to seven minutes.
  3. Add the bone broth, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with the side of a spoon.
  4. Add the clams, celery root, thyme, tarragon, pepper, salt, and pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer. Reduce to medium-low and cook until the celery root is tender, about 10 minutes.
  5. In a small bowl, whisk together the arrowroot powder and water. Pour it into the soup in a thin stream, stirring constantly. Simmer, stirring, until the chowder thickens slightly, about three minutes more.
  6. Stir in the reserve bacon and the fennel fronds.

photo credit: Pike Place Chowder via photopin (license)

Peanut Butter Fudge Pie

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pieby Karen Frazier

If you’re on a low-carb or gluten-free diet, you can still enjoy sweets from time to time. This peanut butter fudge pie is easy to make, low in carbs, and it has a chocolatey nut crust, so it’s gluten-free and dairy-free, as well. To make it paleo (but not low-carb), you can replace the sweetener in the crust and the filling with pure maple syrup or honey to taste. I don’t like things to be super sweet, so I recommend doing the add a little sweetener and taste until you get to your desired level of sweetness, or the pie might not be sweet enough for you as written.

  • 1  1/2 cups pecans
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 3/4 cup granulated Truvia (in the green plastic jar) or Swerve sweetener
  • 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
  • 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter
  • 3 (14-ounce) cans coconut milk (full-fat), refrigerated overnight until the liquid separates from the cream (discard the liquid), or 2 cups coconut cream, divided
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
  • 15 to 20 drops of liquid stevia or liquid sucralose (or to taste – you may want more)
  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Grease a pie plate with coconut oil.
  3. In a food processor, pulse the pecans, cocoa powder, and Truvia or Swerve until well chopped, about 15 one-second pulses.
  4. Add the melted coconut oil and continue processing for 30 seconds.
  5. Press into the prepared pie plate. Bake the crust in the oven until browned and fragrant, 15 to 20 minutes. Allow to cool on a wire rack.
  6. In a small saucepan (or in the microwave), melt the chocolate and peanut butter, stirring to combine.
  7. In a large bowl, combine two of the cans of the coconut cream (just the thick part with the water poured off – about one and a half cups) with one teaspoon of the vanilla and the liquid stevia or sucralose.
  8. Add the melted chocolate and peanut butter. Beat until well combined.
  9. Pour into the cooled crust. Refrigerate until the filling hardens.
  10. In a medium bowl, combine the remaining one can of coconut cream (or a half cup of the cream without the liquid), the remaining teaspoon of vanilla, and stevia or sucralose drops to taste. Beat with an electric beater on high until fluffy, three to four minutes. Spread on the chilled pie. Return to the refrigerator until you are ready to serve.

photo credit: “Squared” Coconut Pie via photopin (license)

Coconut Blueberry Pancakes with Orange-Maple-Ginger Syrup

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pancakesby Karen Frazier

Pancakes are a sometimes treat for us. I don’t do a lot of low-carb and paleo baking because I don’t want to get in the habit of eating baked goods. I prefer to stay pretty basic. However, from time to time, I get bit by the baking bug. While pancakes aren’t quite baking, they have a lot of similarities. In fact, with a few modifications this recipe also makes tasty muffins.

Coconut Blueberry Pancakes

  • 1/2 cup coconut flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 4 eggs, beaten
  • 1/4 cup melted coconut oil, plus more for cooking
  • A few drops liquid stevia
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • Organic blueberries
  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the coconut flour, baking powder, and salt.
  2. In another medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, coconut oil, stevia, vanilla, and coconut milk.
  3. Carefully fold the wet ingredients into the dry, stirring until just combined.
  4. Heat a skillet on medium-high. Grease it with the coconut oil.
  5. Ladle the pancakes onto the skillet, dropping blueberries on each pancake.
  6. Cook until the pancakes bubble, about four minutes. Flip and cook a few more minutes on the other side. Serve with the syrup.

Orange-Maple-Ginger Syrup

  • 1 cup Truvia (not the baking blend, which has sugar – the stuff in the green jar), Swerve sweetener, or granulated erythritol
  • 1 cup hot water
  • Zest of 1 orange
  • 3-4 slices ginger root
  • 1/2 teaspoon maple extract
  1. In a small saucepan, bring all ingredients to a simmer on medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Simmer for five minutes.
  2. Turn off heat and allow the syrup to steep for one hour.
  3. Strain out solids.

The syrup won’t be thick like you’re used to, but it will add wonderful flavor to your pancakes.
photo credit: Blueberry & Ricotta Pancakes via photopin (license)