Vegetables and guacamole for snack

INGREDIENTS

• Fresh Vegetables (i.e. bell pepper, cucumber, radish, baby carrots)

• 3 avocados, peeled and pit removed
• 2 roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
• ½ medium onion, diced
• ½ jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced (optional)
• Juice of 1 lime
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper
• ½ tsp sea salt

  PREPARATION

• In a large bowl toss the lime juice with the avocados so they are fully coated.
• Add the cumin, cayenne, and salt and with a fork mash the avocados.
• Next add in the tomatoes, onion, and jalapeño if using and mix together. Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors meld before serving.

BAKED SALMON WITH SPINACH AND ONION

INGREDIENTS

• 4 salmon fillets, cooked (or chicken, leftover from dinner)

• 9 oz baby spinach
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• 4 tbsp cooking fat
• Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

  PREPARATION

• Re-heat salmon fillets in microwave or stove.
• Heat cooking fat in a large skillet over medium heat.
• Add the onion and sauté for 3-5 minutes, until soft.
• Add spinach and cook until wilted, stirring occasionally.
• Add garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste, stir so everything is combined well.
• Remove from stove and serve with re-heated salmon.

ITALIAN SAUSAGE WITH SAUERKRAUT AND PARSNIP MASH

INGREDIENTS

• 14 good quality mild Italian pork sausage links (uncured, gluten free, no fillers, no sugar, natural casing)
• ½ cup water
• 2 tsp cooking fat

• 3 cups or more naturally fermented sauerkraut

• 1 ½ lbs parsnips, peeled and chopped
• ⅓ cup full-fat coconut milk
• 2 tbsp ghee or coconut oil
• Pinch of nutmeg
• Sea salt & ground pepper to taste

  PREPARATION

• Add the parsnips to a pot filled with water just enough to cover them and bring to a boil.
• Boil until soft, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile in a pan large enough to fit all of the sausages (it is okay to cook them in batches if needed), add 2 tsp of cooking fat and cook the sausages over medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes, turning frequently to brown all sides.
• Reduce the heat to low and add 1/2 cup water to the pan carefully.
• Cover and cook 10 – 15 minutes, until the center is no longer pink, an internal temperature of 160 F.
• Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm.
• When the parsnips are done boiling, drain the water, add 2 tbsp ghee or coconut oil, coconut milk, pinch of nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste.
• Mash well with a potato masher, or mix in a food processor until smooth.
• Serve 8 links of sausage on top of the parsnip mash and a side of fresh sauerkraut.

SALMON WITH ROASTED ASPARAGUS & PARSNIPS IN LEMON-CAPER SAUCE

INGREDIENTS

• 8 skinless wild salmon fillets, about 5 oz each (2.5 lbs), or 8 (5 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
• 1 ½ lbs parsnips, peeled and cut into ½ inch by 2 inch pieces
• 1 pound of asparagus, trimmed
• ⅓ cup white onion, finely chopped
• ¼ cup drained capers, chopped
• ½ cup fresh lemon juice
• ¼ cup + 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp lemon zest
• 4 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
• Sea Salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

  PREPARATION

• Preheat oven to 425 F.
• In a bowl combine the onion, capers, lemon juice, ¼ cup olive oil, lemon zest, and thyme. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• On a rimmed baking sheet arrange the parsnips and asparagus as a single layer. Drizzle with 1 tsp olive oil and turn to lightly coat, sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Place salmon fillets (or chicken) on top of the vegetables.
• Pour the sauce over the salmon (or chicken).
• Roast for 15 - 20 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork. If using chicken cook 20-25 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 F.
• Remove from oven and serve 4 fillets with asparagus and parsnips.

Chicken cobb salad

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or cubed (from whole roasted chicken leftovers)
• 4 large eggs
• 8 slices of good quality bacon (all natural, gluten, nitrate & nitrite, and sugar free), chopped into pieces
• 3 hearts of romaine lettuce, chopped
• 2 avocados, peeled, pitted, and diced
• 3 roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
• 1 tbsp white-wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• Sea Salt & ground pepper

  PREPARATION

• In a skillet cook the bacon over medium heat until brown and crispy, remove from heat and place on a paper towel covered plate.
• Place eggs in a small pot and fill with cold water just until the eggs are fully covered, lightly salt the water and heat on high heat until the water begins to boil.
• Set a timer for 8 minutes and let the eggs boil, do not cook the eggs in the boiling water any longer than 10 minutes.
• Once the timer goes off quickly rinse the eggs under cold water or place them in an ice bath, once cooled, peel and chop the eggs.
• In a small bowl combine the Dijon mustard, vinegar, olive oil, and season generously with salt and pepper, mix well.
• Toss the lettuce with the vinaigrette and divide into 4 individual portions.
• Top each bed of dressed romaine with chicken, bacon, eggs, avocado, and tomatoes.

Cooking with Fats & Oils

What oils and fats are good to eat and cook with can be a little confusing. You know the theory and that saturated and monounsaturated fats are generally healthy, but how does this apply in practical life?

Here’s a quick lowdown of popular choices:

Ghee (clarified butter): Clarified butter is a great option for cooking. It tastes great with most food and is resistant to heat. It is actually butter with all the water and milk solids removed so ghee is usually well tolerated, even for those who don’t tolerate dairy. You can find it in health food stores or prepare your own from good quality grass-fed butter. 
...

Olive oil: Extra­-virgin olive oil is tasty and elevates food with its great flavor. However, it can be rather fragile so it’s best to avoid cooking with it at high heat. Instead, use it for vinaigrettes and to drizzle on greens. Invest in a good quality olive oil and keep it in the refrigerator if you don’t use it often. It’ll become cloudy in the fridge, but will stay fresh longer this way. Avocado oil is another alternative that can be used in place of olive oil for a slightly different flavor profile.

Coconut oil: Coconut oil is mostly composed of saturated fat and has a coco-nutty taste that many people enjoy. It’s great for high heat cooking and goes great with most food, except maybe eggs. Red palm oil can also be used similarly to coconut oil.

Animal fats (lard, tallow, duck fat): These all give great flavor to savory dishes and can be used for cooking at high ­heat. They are not always easy to find, but your local butcher shop should be able to sell you some rendered lard or duck fat easily.

Fish Tacos with Jicama Slaw

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb fresh tilapia fillets, or 1 lb boneless chicken breasts
• 1 tbsp cooking fat
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 or 2 jalapeño pepper(s), finely chopped
• 2 cups tomatoes, diced
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
• 3 tbsp lime juice
• Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

• 1 large jicama, peeled and julienned
• 1 large avocado, peeled, pit removed and cut into small pieces
• ¼ red onion, finely diced
• 1 tbsp fresh cilantro, finely chopped
• Juice of 1 lime
• Sea salt & ground black pepper to taste

• 12 romaine lettuce leaves

  PREPARATION

• Fish Taco Filling:
• In a large skillet over a medium-high heat, combine the cooking fat with the garlic and onions. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the onions are soft and translucent in color.
• Add the tilapia fillets to the skillet. Allow the fillets to cook for 3 to 4 minutes on one side prior to flipping. As the fish begins to cook through, use a fork to break it apart into flaky pieces.
• Add the Jalapeño pepper, tomatoes, cilantro and lime juice to the mix and then season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 5 minutes before removing from heat.
• Chicken Taco Filling:
• Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper on each side.
• Heat a large skillet over medium heat with the cooking fat, once hot add the chicken.
• Cook 6-8 minutes each side, until no longer pink in the center.
• Transfer to a plate and let cool.
• Once cool enough to handle, shred chicken and set aside.
• In the same skillet over medium heat, combine 1 tbsp cooking fat with the garlic and onions. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the onions are soft and translucent in color.
• Add the shredded chicken, jalapeño pepper, tomatoes, cilantro and lime juice to the mix and then season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 5 minutes before removing from heat.
• Jicama Slaw:
• Simply combine off the ingredients into a bowl and gently stir to combine.
• Serve the taco filling in lettuce leaves and top with jicama slaw.

Butternut squash soup and portobello pizzas

  INGREDIENTS

• 2 butternut squashes
• 2 (14 oz) cans of full-fat coconut milk
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Any fresh or dried herbs to taste

• 4 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 4 large Portobello mushrooms, stems removed
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 to 5 fresh basil leaves, minced
• Coconut oil
• Juice from half a lemon
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

  PREPARATION

• Butternut Squash Soup:
• Preheat your oven to 350 F.
• Cut the squash lengthwise and remove seeds.
• Place squash cut side down on baking sheet and cook for about 45 minutes, or until tender.
• Allow squash to cool, then scoop out the cooked flesh and put it into a sauce pan. Add 1 ½ cans of coconut milk and keep the remainder for later.
• Using a potato masher or blender, mix the squash and coconut milk.
• Continue to add the remaining coconut milk to adjust the consistency of the soup until you're satisfied.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste and top with fresh or dried herbs.
• Portobello Pizzas:
• Preheat your oven to 400 F.
• In a skillet over medium heat, warm coconut oil. Add onions and cook until golden.
• Add the tomatoes, garlic and bell pepper and season to taste. Sauté until the tomatoes are soft.
• Add lemon juice and basil, stir and then remove from heat.
• Coat a baking sheet with melted coconut oil, and place the mushrooms on the sheet, bottom side up.
• Top with the ingredients from the skillet.
• Place the mushrooms in the oven and bake for 12 minutes.
• Top with a fresh basil leaf and serve.