Category Archives: Dairy Free

Sweet Potato Zucchini Hash with Fried Eggs

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tomatoesThis is my favorite time at the farmers’ market, because there are so many great organic fruits, vegetables, and herbs to choose from. I’m a huge fan of buying local produce at farm stands and farmers’ markets, because local food picked and sold at the peak of freshness has incredible flavors. Buying local also supports local farmers. This week at the market I purchased:

  • Sweet potatoes
  • Heirloom tomatoes
  • Zucchini (actually, a friend gave me some)
  • Fresh eggs
  • Chives
  • Onions
  • Thyme

These ingredients all came together this morning in a spectacularly fresh farmers’ market breakfast.

Sweet Potato Zucchini Hash with Fried Eggs

  • 2 tablespoons rendered duck fat
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 sweet potato, unpeeled, cut into a 1/4 inch dice
  • 1 zucchini, unpeeled, cut into a 1/4 inch dice
  • Salt and fresh black pepper to taste
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
  • 2 eggs, fried over easy
  • 1 heirloom tomato, diced
  • Chopped chives
  1. Heat oil in a 12″ non-stick sauté pan over medium heat.
  2. Add onions and cook until transparent, about 3-4 minutes.
  3. Add sweet potatoes and zucchini. Spread in a single layer along the bottom of the pan.
  4. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  5. Reduce heat to medium low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables caramelize, about 30 minutes.
  6. Move hash to one side of the pan to keep warm. Increase heat to medium.
  7. Crack eggs into other side of the pan and cook to over easy.
  8. Mix together tomatoes and chives.
  9. Place hash on two plates. Top each portion with an egg, and then with tomato chive mixture.

Lettuce Wraps

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lettuce wrap

The other day at the grocery store, I came across chicken thighs for $1.29 per pound. The catch was that you had to purchase a huge tray of them – more than enough to feed my family twice over. Still, it made sense to buy them since a smaller tray not on special cost exactly the same as the large tray.

Today, Jim smoked the thighs on the smoker for two hours at 275 degrees. In the last 30 minutes, he glazed them with a reduction of a cup of pure maple syrup, the zest and juice of an orange, a couple of tablespoons of gluten-free soy sauce, and a teaspoon of sriracha. As I knew it would, we had about half of the thighs left when we were done with dinner.

No worries – I have a plan. Tomorrow I will shred the thighs, toss them in the remaining sauce, and make lettuce wraps. Here’s my recipe.

Lettuce Wraps

  • Large leaves from one head of lettuce
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 cup mushrooms, chopped chopped
  • 1/2 onion, minced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • Meat and skin from six smoked chicken thighs, cut into chunks.
  • Sauce made from a reduction of 1 cup of maple syrup, zest and juice of one orange, 2 T gluten-free soy sauce (or coconut amines), and 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of sriracha (or red pepper flakes) (simmer until syrupy)
  • Shirataki angel hair noodles, rinsed and warmed in hot water, then drained (or some other gluten free noodle) (optional)
  • 2 scallions, julienned
  • 2 carrots, julienned
  • 1 cup bean sprouts
  • Peanut sauce (recipe follows)
  1. Heat oil in a large sauté pan until shimmering.
  2. Add mushrooms and cook to brown, about six minutes.
  3. Add onions and continue to cook until transparent.
  4. Add garlic and cook until it releases its scent, about 30 seconds.
  5. Add chicken and half of the maple syrup sauce and simmer until chicken is heated through.
  6. Remove from heat and set aside.
  7. Rinse shirataki noodles (or cook some other gluten free noodle) under water in a wire colander.
  8. Place colander with noodles in a bowl of hot water and let sit to warm noodles until you are ready to serve. Drain well before serving.
  9. To serve, put chicken and mushrooms on a plate, along with portions of noodles, scallions, carrots, and bean sprouts. Put 2-3 lettuce leaves on each plate. Serve remaining maple syrup reduction and peanut sauce on the side.
  10. To assemble, put portions of chicken, noodles, vegetables, and sauce in the center of lettuce leaves and roll to eat.

Quick Peanut Sauce

In a blender or food processor mix until well combined:

  • 1-1/2 cups of peanut butter (or almond butter for paleo)
  • 3 tablespoons gluten-free soy sauce (or coconut amines for paleo)
  • Juice from one lime
  • 1 tsp to 1 tablespoon sriracha (to taste or omit all together)
  • 1 tablespoon grated gingerroot
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 2 teaspoons honey

Scotch Eggs

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Scotch EggsLove breakfast foods but get tired of making the same scrambled eggs and sausages? Try a Scotch egg. They’re easy to make and can be served with fruit or oven potatoes for a filling and simple meal.

Never had a Scotch egg? Essentially, it’s a boiled egg wrapped in breakfast sausage and then breaded and deep fried. It’s easy to make gluten-free, and many people enjoy the eggs with mustard.

Scotch Eggs

  • 6 organic, very fresh eggs
  • 1 pound organic bulk gluten-free breakfast sausage
  • 1 cup almond meal
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon mustard powder
  • 1/4 cup duck fat or another paleo-friendly fat
  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
  2. Place four eggs in a saucepan and cover them with cold water. Place the pan on the stove and bring to a boil.
  3. As soon as the water boils, remove from heat and cover. Allow to sit off the heat for four minutes.
  4. Plunge eggs in a bowl of ice water. Refrigerate and allow to cool completely.
  5. Carefully peel eggs.
  6. Pat sausage into four thin patties.
  7. Place an egg in the center of each patty, and wrap patty around the egg, sealing carefully.
  8. In a small bowl, combine almond meal, thyme, pepper, salt, and mustard powder.
  9. Whisk two remaining eggs in a small bowl.
  10. Dip each sausage/egg ball into egg wash and then into the almond meal mixture.
  11. In a large pot, heat the duck fat over medium-high until it shimmers.
  12. Add the eggs and cook until browned on all sides, about four minutes per side.
  13. Put the eggs on the prepared baking sheet and transfer them to the preheated oven. Cook until sausage is cooked through, ten to 15 minutes more.

Pub-Style Bison Burger

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burgerby Karen Frazier

These delicious burgers use grass-fed bison. You can make them gluten-free and dairy free, as well. I especially love the sauce on these burgers – it’s addictive.

Pub-Style Bison Burgers

  • 2 pounds organic ground bison (or grass-fed beef)
  • Sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste
  • 6 gluten-free (or regular) ciabatta rolls, halved and toasted
  • 6 strips uncured bacon, cooked crisp and halved
  • 1 tablespoon bleu cheese crumbles per burger (omit for dairy-free)
  • 2 tablespoons burger sauce (recipe follows)
  • Fried shallots (recipe follows)
  1. Fry shallots according to recipe below. Set aside to drain on paper towels.
  2. Form bison into patties and season with salt and pepper.
  3. Grill patties to medium.
  4. While patties grill, toast buns, cook bacon, and prepare burger sauce.
  5. Top burgers with two half-slices of bacon, crumbled bleu cheese, and fried shallots. Spread buns with burger sauce.

Fried Shallots

  • 6-8 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon sweet rice flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • Fresh cracked black pepper to taste
  • Peanut oil
  1. Heat 2 inches of peanut oil in a large dutch oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Place shallots in a small bowl and toss with flour, salt, and pepper.
  3. Add shallots to oil and fry until golden brown.
  4. Remove from oil with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

Classic Burger Sauce
(Cook’s Illustrated Recipe)

  •   3/4 cup mayo
  •   2 tablespoons gluten-free soy sauce
  •   1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce (Lea & Perrins is gluten-free)
  •   1 tablespoon brown sugar
  •   1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
  •   1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
  •   1-2 cloves of garlic, through a garlic press or finely minced

Whisk together all ingredients.

Mediterranean Lamb Burgers

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lamburgerLooking for a little different burger to grill? Try these delicious lamb burgers with Mediterranean spices, herbed mayonnaise, feta cheese, pickled onions, and arugula.

Mediterranean Lamb Burgers

  • 2 pounds ground lamb
  • 3 teaspoons of garlic, through a garlic press
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons cumin
  • 2 teaspoons coriander
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
  • 1 egg, beaten slightly
  • Herbed mayonnaise(recipe below)
  • Pickled onions (second recipe in this post)
  • Baby arugula
  • Feta cheese
  • Toasted buns
  1. Place ground lamb in a large bowl.
  2. Add garlic, oregano, cumin, coriander, salt, pepper, and egg.
  3. Mix to combine thoroughly (I use my hands to do this in order to get it well combined).
  4. Form into six patties and grill on high heat, about four minutes per side until lamb has an internal temperature of about 145 (for medium rare) to 160 (medium).
  5. Allow lamb to rest while you prepare the mayonnaise and toast buns.
  6. Spread toasted buns with prepared mayonnaise.
  7. Top burger with pickled onions, arugula, and feta cheese.

Herbed Mayonnaise

  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • leaves from four sprigs of fresh oregano
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 2 cups lite olive oil
  1. In a food processor, pulse garlic and oregano several times until well chopped.
  2. Scrape down sides of food processor.
  3. Add salt, egg yolks, and vinegar.
  4. Turn on food processor to blend.
  5. With food processor running continuously, add oil a few drops at a time to start, and then in a slow, steady stream until mayonnaise emulsifies.

For gluten-free burgers, serve burger on a bed of rice or arugula topped with herbed mayonnaise and pickled onions.

For dairy free, make sure you’re using a goat’s milk feta cheese or eliminate feta altogether.

Quick Pickles

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picklesMy family would probably tell you I’m obsessed with pickles. I. Love. Them. Every year I wait for cucumber season and watch for pickling cucumbers at the farmers’ market so I can enjoy homemade pickles. I like them garlicky with a touch of heat. These refrigerator pickles are great because they are quick and require no canning. We go through pickles pretty quickly in our house, so I do them in 2 pound batches in a crock.

Zesty Refrigerator Dill Pickles

  • 3 cups white wine vinegar
  • 3 cups water
  • 2 pounds pickling cucumbers, cut into spears
  • 4 tablespoons pickling salt
  • 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
  • 12 cloves garlic, crushed
  • Small bunch fresh dill
  • 1 tablespoon cracked peppercorns
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper flakes (or to taste)
  1. Boil vinegar, water, and salt in a saucepan to dissolve salt.
  2. Layer cucumbers, onion, garlic, dill and peppercorns in a large crock.
  3. Pour hot brine over cucumbers. Add pepper flakes.
  4. Allow to sit, uncovered, on the counter until pickles are room temperature.
  5. Cover and refrigerate for three days before eating.

I also like to do a quick pickle to red onions. It removes some of the bite from onions, and the result is delicious on burgers or salads. Tonight, I’m making a quick pickled onion to put on top of Mediterranean spiced lamb burgers.

Red Onion Quick Pickle

  • 1/2 cup red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 thinly sliced red onion
  1. Combine sugar, salt, and vinegar in a small bowl and whisk until sugar and salt dissolves.
  2. Arrange red onions in a small bowl.
  3. Pour brine over onions.
  4. Sit at room temperature for one hour.
  5. Cover and refrigerate.

Bacon-wrapped Meatloaf

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baconmeatloafSometimes, my friends, bacon just has to happen. While many people bemoan just how bland meatloaf is, for me it is a comfort food from my childhood. Still, I’m all for jazzing up even the classics, and this bacon-wrapped meatloaf does it in spades, with smoky bacon and a sweet, tangy sauce. So the next time you’re looking for a little classic comfort food, give this baby a try. Serve it with some smashed taters and a side of roasted veggies.

Bacon-Wrapped Meatloaf

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 1 onion, minced
  • 2 cloves garlic, diced
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1/2 pound ground veal
  • 1/2 pound ground pork
  • 1/2 cup bread crumbs (or gluten-free bread crumbs for gluten free)
  • 1 cup milk (or almond milk for dairy-free)
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons dried thyme
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons Worchestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Louisiana hot sauce (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 cup ketchup
  • 1/2 cup white vinegar
  • 1/4 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon sriracha (optional)
  • 1/2 pound thin sliced bacon

Method

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Heat oil in a saute pan and cook onion until transparent, about four minutes.
  3. Add garlic and cook until garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  4. Set aside to cool.
  5. While onion and garlic cools, combine milk and bread crumbs in a dish and stir well. Set aside.
  6. In a large bowl, combine beef, pork, veal, salt, pepper, eggs, bread crumb/milk mixture, cooled onions and garlic, thyme, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon, garlic powder, hot sauce, and onion powder.
  7. Stir (I use my hands) until all ingredients are extremely well combined.
  8. Turn out mixture onto a rimmed baking sheet (line it with foil to make clean-up easier) and form a free-form loaf.
  9. In a small saucepan, heat ketchup, vinegar, sriracha and brown sugar until sugar dissolves.
  10. Spread half the sauce over the loaf. Return the remaining sauce to heat and allow to boil before removing it from heat.
  11. Arrange thin sliced bacon in a single layer to coat the entire loaf.
  12. Bake in a 350 degree oven until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees, about 60 minutes.
  13. Remove meatloaf from oven and allow to rest for 20 minutes, tented with foil.
  14. Serve with remaining sauce on the side.

Maple-Orange Glazed Pork Shoulder Roast

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porkshoulderJim got a smoker for Christmas, so right now he’s totally into smoked meat. I, on the other hand, am getting tired of it. Still, we’re having a New Year’s Eve dinner gathering of friends, so we decided to break out the smoker. I’m adapting a recipe I enjoy making either in the oven or on the grill to the smoker – Jim will smoke it low and slow for several hours. If you’d like to cook it in the oven, then I recommend roasting at 325 for about an hour per pound. For the brine:

  • 8 quarts of cold water
  • 1 cup sea salt

For the roast:

  • 5-6 pound pork shoulder roast
  • Salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste

For the glaze

  • 1 cup maple syrup
  • 3 tablespoons coconut aminos
  • 3 tablespoons whiskey
  • Zest of one orange
  • Juice from two oranges
  • 1-2 tablespoons sriracha or to taste (red pepper flakes for paleo)
  1. Combine water, brown sugar, and salt in a cooler, mixing well.
  2. Add pork shoulder and allow roast to brine for about 5-6 hours.
  3. Remove roast from brine and rinse. Pat dry with paper towels.
  4. Season pork with salt and pepper. Smoke at about 225 degrees, one hour per pound.
  5. While roast smokes, combine syrup, soy sauce, whiskey, orange zest, orange juice, and sriracha in a small saucepan.
  6. Simmer the glaze until syrupy.
  7. Begin brushing glaze onto meat in about hour #3 of cooking, and brush glaze every 15 minutes.
  8. Cook meat to an internal temperature of 190 degrees.
  9. Remove from oven and allow to sit, tented with foil, for 30 minutes, before slicing.

Nut Butter Noodles

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PBNoodlesWhether you like peanuts, almonds, or cashews, making noodles with a nut butter sauce makes a fast and delicious week night meal. I’ve made these with peanut, cashew, and almond butter, and they are equally delicious served hot or cold.

  • 1 package spaghetti noodles, cooked according to package directions (or soba noodles or rice noodles for gluten-free)
  • 1/2 cup sugar-free nut butter (peanut, almond, or cashew)
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons grated ginger root
  • 6 scallions, sliced
  • 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons sesame oil
  • 1/4 cup gluten-free soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup coconut milk
  • Sriracha or chili oil to taste
  • Salt to taste
  • 3 tablespoons sesame seeds
  1. Cook spaghetti or other noodles (such as udon or ramen) according to package directions and drain them.
  2. Meanwhile, in a food processor, pulse garlic, ginger, and 4 scallions until thoroughly chopped (set aside remaining two scallions).
  3. Scrape down vegetables from side of food processor and add nut butter, rice vinegar, sesame oil, soy sauce, coconut milk, and sriracha. Pulse food processor to blend.
  4. Taste and add salt or more sriracha as necessary.
  5. Toss sauce with hot noodles and add sesame seeds and remaining two sliced scallions.
  6. Serve hot or cold.

Variations:

  • Add cooked marinated chicken or other meat.
  • Add steamed veggies such as broccoli.
  • Replace soy sauce with teriyaki sauce for a sweeter sauce.
  • Add your favorite curry.
  • Garnish with chopped nuts or bean sprouts to vary textures.

Warm Spinach Salad

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baby spinachI have a certain person in my family who despises green food, and it’s not me or one of the kids. Still, I can get him to eat his spinach when I make this warm spinach salad. You can vary it in a number of ways, which I’ll include after the recipe. For the salad, I prefer baby spinach, which is more tender and flavorful; however, you can use other types of spinach, as well. The recipe below serves four.

  • 8 ounces of baby spinach
  • 2 Tablespoons duck fat
  • 5 slices thick cut bacon, chopped
  • 2 shallots, sliced thinly
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar (or raw apple cider vinegar)
  • Fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
  1. Wash and drain baby spinach. Place dry spinach in a large, heatproof bowl.
  2. Heat olive oil in pan and cook chopped bacon until crispy.
  3. Remove bacon from fat with a slotted spoon and put in bowl with spinach.
  4. Add shallots and cook until soft.
  5. Add red wine vinegar, scraping browned bits off bottom of pan.
  6. Pour dressing from pan over the top of spinach and bacon and toss. The bacon will wilt slightly.
  7. Top with fresh pepper and serve immediately.

Variations:

  • Change vinegar to sherry vinegar or balsamic
  • Add pine nuts
  • Add zest from one orange to dressing when you add sugar