On Being Paleo In the South {Broccoli Salad Recipe}

There's no point in mincing words: eating healthy in the South is difficult, regardless of how you define "healthy". When I moved to Georgia in 2001, I was a vegetarian and was shocked to discover that the seemingly safe-to-my-lifestyle "veggie plate" was comprised almost entirely of veggies which had been cooked with some kind of animal fat!

I find myself in a similar conundrum lately as I settle in to a Paleo lifestyle.  This time, it isn't the animal fat that bothers me, though.  Rather, it is the hidden carbs (must we bread everything?), incessant sweetening (you've heard of Sweet Tea, right?), and cheesy-creaminess of a huge majority of traditional Southern dishes.  Couple that with the inescapable family clan dynamic that still exists (it's like peer pressure, only worse), and it's starts to feel impossible to navigate the food table at the innumerable barbecues, holiday celebrations, and family reunions.

Enter my summer savoir: broccoli salad.  Broccoli salad is one of Daddy M's favorite traditional dishes.  I developed his perfect broccoli salad in time for his 30th birthday party and it has become my go-to take-along to every summer gathering we host or attend (usually I get conned into making a second batch to hide in the fridge for Daddy M to snack on during the following week because we never, ever bring home leftovers).  My challenge at Fourth of July was creating a Paleo version to match the popularity of the original.

Thankfully, this was already a no-grain, no dairy recipe.  I substituted homemade Paleo mayo for the traditional Kraft mayo in the original recipe and palm sugar to replace the refined sugar.  I served both versions (labeled) side-by-side on the Fourth and the resounding verdict was that they tasted exactly the same! Victory!

Broccoli salad is a great accompaniment to hot dogs or hamburgers on the grill or, as I discovered with some precious leftovers, chicken thighs (the ones in the photo are the amazing Honey Mustard Thighs from The Paleo Kitchen cookbook, as shared on Nom Nom Paleo).  A few forkfuls are also delightful with a boiled egg for breakfast on the fly.

Ingredients

• 1 cup Paleo mayo
• 1 Tablespoon white vinegar
• Scant 1/4 cup palm sugar
• 1 head of broccoli or even better, 1 bag of broccoli florets, trimmed to bite-sized pieces
• 8 pieces of bacon, cooked crispy and chopped 
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup green onions (white and green parts), chopped - this usually works out to be two whole green onions
• 1/4 cup pecan pieces, chopped (it honestly doesn't matter if they're toasted - being in the dressing will soften them again; if you're desperate for crunchy pecans, use toasted and add just before serving)

Method
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together mayo, vinegar and sugar.  Stir in the broccoli and toss to coat. Gently stir in bacon, raisins, onions and pecans.  Yep, it's that easy.

This is best made the night before or first thing in the morning if you will be serving in the afternoon or evening to give the flavors a chance to get to know each other before you devour them.  You will want to give the whole salad a good stir again just before serving - because the palm sugar doesn't dissolve in the mayo as well as the white sugar, the dressing remains a little runny and tends to settle at the bottom.

What's your go-to summer recipe for gatherings?

Paleoversery Favorites

Six months ago yesterday, on almost a whim, I started my first Whole 30.  In some ways, I can't believe it's been half a year already since I "went Paleo": I still feel like a newbie on a lot of days.  But the changes in food choices - not just the eliminations but the increase of nutrient dense foods - have admittedly worked their way into habits and I've never felt better.

So in honor of my 6 month Paleoversery, I'm sharing some of my Paleo favorites (so far):

Favorite Breakfast: Danielle Walker's Smoky Sweet Potato Hash.  This is so easy to make, so delicious, and so filling!  It also stores well and reheats in seconds.  If you don't like heat first thing in the morning, try substituting cinnamon for the chili powder and paprika for the cayenne (this is Mouse's preferred variation).

Favorite Lunch: Chicken or Tuna Salad of almost any kind, but especially my Buffalo Chicken Salad or this Sweet Potato Tuna Salad from Eating Bird Food (made with Paleo mayo in place of hummus)

(I wanted to include a favorite dinner but I've honestly loved everything I've made and can't pick.  My Paleo Pinterest boards will give you an idea of some of the wonderful dinners I've made.) 

Pot-Luck Winner: Garlic Cauliflower "Mashed Potatoes" by Nom Nom Paleo.  If I were still a California girl, I may never have tried this recipe.  But marrying Daddy M over a dozen years ago forced me to rethink the food I bring to gatherings.  The basic rules in the South are that if it can't be served in a 9x13 it is probably not worth having, and lots of butter and/or cheese is required.  I took this to Easter with the fam and it was a huge hit! (Trick: if you're going to double or triple the batch like I did, save yourself some time and $$ and use frozen cauliflower - 1 bag = about 1 head.)

Surprise Favorite: Michelle Tam's Stir Fried Kale with Bacon.  I mean, everything is better with bacon, so this should not have been a surprise.  But I was not a major kale fan (and neither was the family) until I tried this recipe.  Now I always have to plan on sharing! (And, yes, that's leftovers with an egg for breakfast in the photo. I sometimes wake up craving kale, if you can believe that!)

Favorite Website: There are so many great ones out there (and I'm still discovering new ones daily!) that I didn't actually start buying cookbooks until a month ago.  Going by most-used, my favorites would have to be Nom Nom Paleo and Against All Grain.

I'm always up for trying something new - what are your Paleo favorites?

Quick Greens + Protein Bowl

When you're aiming to eat healthy, salads become a mainstay.  Most of the time, that's fine by me - there are so many options when putting a salad together that it's easy to stave off boredom.  But every once in awhile, I just want a hot lunch.

In my pre-Paleo days, Quinoa was my quick, throw-together, healthy and hot go-to.  I'm happy to share that I've come up with a new, Paleo-friendly hot meal that you can have on the table in no time with food you probably already have in your freezer.

Greens + Protein Bowl (Choose Your Own Adventure)

(Makes 1-2 servings)

• Generous 1 Tbsp. cooking fat of choice (I used clarified butter/ghee)
• 1-2c protein of choice, cubed or shredded (I used some leftover roasted chicken breast)
• 1/2 small onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped (or the lazy, pre-diced garlic that comes in a jar)
• ~4c greens of choice, rinsed, drained & torn (I used some gorgeous rainbow chard from last week's CSA basket, larger ribs removed)
• Freshly ground salt
• EVOO
• Hot sauce of choice (optional, kind of*) (I used Frank's Red Hot)

1. Heat cooking fat of choice in a non-stick pan over medium to medium-high heat.  Add protein, onion, & garlic.  Season to taste with salt, and saute for 3-5 minutes, until the onion just starts to become soft and translucent.  
2. Add greens and continue cooking until they are wilted (my chard took longer than spinach would have - just keep an eye on it).
3. Before serving drizzle with EVOO and hot sauce to taste.
4. Enjoy!

(*I say the hot sauce is optional, but unless you truly can't tolerate it on your palate or are avoiding as part of an Autoimmune Protocol, I highly, highly recommend at least a few drops.  It does something special and magical with the greens and absolutely makes this meal pop!)

What's your go-to meal when you're craving a hot lunch?

Five Minute Paleo Buffalo Chicken Salad

Our backyard in snow ~ February 13, 2014

With the next wave of the Polar Vortex due to hit this week, I thought I'd share a recipe that kept me warm on the inside during the last wave.

If you hadn't figured it out from my wingapalooza a few weeks ago, I adore buffalo chicken! I also love chicken salad (and since my Whole 30 adventure, I don't feel nearly as guilty about making it a frequent feature at lunchtime).  I threw together this easy peasy Five Minute Paleo Buffalo Chicken Salad while snowed/iced in at home.

Ingredients- 1/2lb cooked chicken, shredded or chopped
- 1/4c Paleo mayo (or regular mayo if you're not Paleo-inclined)
- 1Tbsp Franks Red Sauce (or your favorite hot pepper sauce), or adjust to your tastes
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 1 green onion, chopped  

Mix all ingredients together and enjoy!  Whether this makes one or two servings depends on what the rest of your meal looks like.  When I eat this over salad greens, this makes one serving.  However, accompanied by some heartier vegetables, this could easily feed two. 

What's your favorite way to make chicken salad?

Whole 30: Week 4 - The Home Stretch & Adventures With Wings

The home stretch!  The snow and ice storm of doom that hit Atlanta on Tuesday made a mess of a lot of my meal plans.  Thankfully, I've learned over the last few weeks to keep some spare cooked chicken breast and veggies around and my ability to make pinch hit, hodge-podge meals has improved dramatically!

Breakfasts

This week's egg cups used prosciutto and sun-dried tomato - a nice shake-up!

Lunches

With three extra lunches snow/iced in at home, lunches were mostly hodge-podge.

Dinners

We started the week with chicken "Parmesan", breaded with almond meal.  Daddy M and I both loved it, but the breading was much too peppery for Moose and Mouse.  I substituted chicken broth for the wine in the sauce, and it still had great flavor.  We had ours with steamed zucchini one day, and the leftovers with sauteed zucchini, just to keep things interesting.

I pulled out a favorite South Beach recipe for Marinated London Broil and substituted red wine vinegar in lieu of the wine in the marinade.  We made it a real comfort meal with baked sweet potatoes - I've been using this method from the Eating Bird Food blog to make a big batch of sweet spuds each week and it works perfectly every time!

Wing-a-palooza! One of the things I've missed most about my usual Saturday "cheat day" while I've been on the Whole 30 is wings.  So on Saturday, inspired by Danielle Walker's new recipe over at Against All Grain, I decided to try my hand at making my own.  All told, I made four flavors: ranch (for Daddy M, using packaged ranch seasoning), lemon pepper, Danielle's Buffalo, and a "dry rub" of my own concoction (see below).

Paleo Dry Rub Wings
2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 tsp salt (sea salt or kosher)
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
6-12 Chicken wings (1/2 to 1lb), drumlettes and flats separated, skin on
Preheat oven to 400F and prepare a cookie sheet with a wire cooling rack over top.  Mix first six ingredients together in a prep bowl or small bowl.  Toss wings with mixture (in a larger mixing bowl or zip-top baggie) and space evenly on prepared pan.  Bake for 40 minutes, pausing to flip the wings over after 20 minutes. These are mild enough to eat without any ranch dressing but still flavorful.

I made my own ranch using this recipe but Danielle's dressing mixing proportions (1/2 instead of 1/3c of Paleo mayo).  All in all, it was a delicious, guilt-free treat!  That said, I spent about 4 hours in the kitchen. Next time I'll stick to one or two flavors to cut down both prep and clean-up time.  I was so disappointed that I forgot to take a picture of all my hard work, but by the time I remembered, all that was left to show were bones . . .

Finally, this is how I survived the Super Bowl party we attended on Sunday:

#SuperBowl party, @whole30 style: byo guac & celery, & drinking LaCroix! #Day28
— Victoria (@MommyMarginalia) February 3, 2014

Yes, I totally missed not having an Irish Car Bomb with the rest of the wives.  I did treat myself with a few spoonfuls of coconut milk when I got home as a reward.

What food(s) do you miss the most when you're eating clean?

Whole 30: Week 3

Week 3 is behind me and I'm in the home stretch!  Thank goodness, because the Day 21 slump hit in full force.  It's not that I'm not motivated to keep going: clothes are fitting better, skin is noticeably clearer, and my joints are a little less painful (at least on the days that haven't been bitterly cold).  But, as predicted, some of the fare is getting a bit dull (despite some great recipes in Week 3).  I have some more new recipes to try in Week 4 to get me through to the finish line.

Breakfasts

I made my own egg cups this week using chopped up Bilinski sausage and onions. On Wednesday, when I was home with the kids, I made Danielle Walker's Smoky Sweet Potato Hash, which was amazing! So amazing, that I was so quick to eat it (initially and reheated on some subsequent mornings) that I forgot to snap a quick photo to include here!  Because I have been unable to get my hands on sugarless bacon, I used prosciutto (added just before the eggs) and used 2 tsp. of ghee to cook the sweet potatoes.  I also toned back the seasonings because I suspected Mouse would be stealing off my plate yet again (1/4 tsp. chili powder and only a dash of cayenne pepper; and yes, I was right).

Lunches

I had business lunches again this week, but with some more casual, familiar colleagues so I was able to have one lunch at Whole Foods and another at Chipotle.  The Whole Foods one was a treat, and incredibly easy with all of the ingredients listed at the hot bar.  I also survived a lunch at Taco Mac (which on a weekend, non-Whole 30 day is easily a favorite place for beer, wings and queso) with a beef patty over lettuce with salsa and guacamole.  Nominate me for sainthood, people!

At home, I had leftover salmon (see photo above and recipe notes below) over supergreens with these beets from Michelle at Nom Nom Paleo.  I also continued the chicken salad quest, but have yet to find the holy grail.  Then again, I am a self-confessed chicken salad snob, so this may be a Don Quixote kind of quest.  This week I hybridized this recipe and this one.  The result was good but not great.

Dinners

I was spared some kitchen time (last week's gripe) with leftovers (stuffed peppers on Monday; brisket on Thursday; chicken salad on Friday; and baked-ahead chicken breasts with leftover beets and asparagus on Saturday).  On Tuesday, I made the Ghee Salmon recipe from Lindsay at Fit & Awesome, to rave reviews from Daddy M and Mouse (who literally threw her Earth's Best fish sticks on the floor in order to steal my salmon).  We used a generous sprinkle of Trader Joe's 21 Season Salute for flavor on each piece.  As Daddy M put it: definitely a "do again"!

Onward and upward to Week 4!

Whole 30: Week 2

Week 2 = done!

I'm happy with how I'm feeling (i.e. energized; not deprived) but, truthfully, I'm getting more than a little tired of spending time in the kitchen . . .  Read on to see how I kept my taste-buds and tummy happy on the road to the half-way point.

Breakfasts

Last week's egg cups served their purpose, but were pretty bland.  I saw this recipe for ham & egg cups over at The Clean Plate, but could not for the life of me find ham that hadn't been somehow sweetened.  I luckily stumbled upon some prosciutto (ingredient list: pork, salt, pepper) that I substituted, and these were GREAT!

Lunches

I had several business lunches and remembered to carry my own dressing to add to a bed of greens with grilled {something} over top (and a handful of nuts discreetly scarfed down in the car afterward).  I was delighted to find this Bolthouse Farms balsamic vinaigrette in the produce section of my local Publix which, as best as I can tell, is Whole 30 compliant.  I pre-measured and brought along my dressing and am happy to say was never tempted to veer off course.

Dinners

I pre-cooked dinners for the majority of this week, which really helped keep things more interesting.  On Monday I made these Italian Baked Eggs from Against All Grain, and they were out of this world!  Again, I struggled to find an unsweetened sausage and ultimately had to settle for a cooked one, but the flavor of the Bilinski sausage I used was excellent.

On Tuesday I had leftover shrimp stir fry (originally from last week's menu).  I find the key to having delicious leftovers of this recipe is to keep the shrimp separate from the veggies and only cook the shrimp for one meal at a time (they only take 2-3 minutes anyway).

We ate out on Wednesday and I planned ahead and brought approved guacamole and salsa to dress up a grilled chicken salad.

On Thursday I had a girls' night, and my friend Nikki was sweet enough to provide Whole 30-friendly noshables (olives, nuts, and veggies) along with Pellegrino with orange slices.  Not quite a perfectly balanced meal, but delicious without guilt!

Friday night I had these stuffed peppers, which I made in advance.  While I loved the flavor, not having any grain to help absorb the fat proved problematic.  I think next time I will experiment using a paleo meatloaf recipe that includes almond meal (or similar) to stuff the peppers.

Saturday night I made chicken salad and ate it over a bed of raw spinach.  I tried this recipe but found the mustard flavor a bit overpowering for my tastes.  I'm planning on some chicken salad for lunches this coming week and aim to try a different recipe next time around.

I was thrilled to discover that one of my all time favorite brisket recipes is entirely Whole 30 compliant! The whole family enjoyed this on Sunday night accompanied by Nom Nom Paleo's cauliflower, carrot & parsnip puree, which was such a hit that Mouse ate her whole serving and I had to fork over some of mine to keep her satisfied.

My First Whole 30: Week 1

As part of my intention to better nurture myself this year (and, in particular, my body), I embarked on a Whole 30 on January 6th.  If you haven't heard of the Whole 30 (I hadn't until I read this post from Anne at Modern Mrs. Darcy), it is essentially a 30-day, extreme paleo-based detox wherein you eliminate all sugars, artificial sweeteners, grains, dairy, soy, beans/legumes (including peanuts), and alcohol.

I try to feed myself and my family with nutritional, natural foods as a general rule.  But lingering foot problems (and my suspicion that they are inflamation related) led me to take the leap.  I have found some wonderful resources on the Internet that helped me make it (successfully) through my first week, so I'm adding to the wealth by sharing my weekly meals here.

Breakfast

I made egg cups with spinach on Sunday based on this recipe.   Other than a scramble on Wednesday that I shared with Mouse, I stuck to those with some avocado and some fruit (apple, orange, strawberries).  The goal was quick and easy out the door.

The toughest part of the morning was drinking my coffee black.  I experimented with some different blends and may have settled on the plain ole Starbucks Pike Place.  Jury is still out.

Lunch

Let me begin by saying this: lunch was a mistake.  I dug up a South Beach recipe for chicken and mushroom soup (with leeks and brussels sprouts).  The recipe made four 250-ish calorie portions, so I doubled what I made and divided into six, 375-ish calorie portions.  While it was delicious, the brothy soup filled me up at the time but did not stick with me.  Even adding a Whole 30-recommended serving of fat (macadamia nuts) on the side did not keep me from needing an afternoon snack.

Dinners

Daddy M was working through some non-approved leftovers last week so I winged it several evenings.  Trader Joe's pre-cooked chicken patties saved my tail.  I threw those together with steamed veggies, sauteed kale, roasted sweet potato (depending on the night), and it made for a satisfying meal.

On Tuesday I did a shrimp stir-fry.  I used the South Beach recipe, doubled, and substituted coconut oil and coconut aminos for the suggested cooking oil and soy sauce.  I also omitted the red pepper flakes so that the kids could partake.

On Sunday night, we had dinner at a neighbor's house.  I volunteered to bring a salad, and threw together spinach, strawberries, mushrooms and slivered almonds, which we topped with this delightful and Whole 30 compliant orange poppyseed dressing.  I used a ridiculously large organic navel orange from Trader Joe's, and, as a result, my dressing was more of a vinegarette, but it was a hit from a flavor standpoint!

Other

I whipped up a batch of Paleo Mayo from Well Fed, which I used to make deviled eggs as a post workout snack on Friday.

The fact that I had a workout intense enough to require a snack afterward was a minor miracle (and one I attribute to a reduction in inflammation due to the foods I've been eliminating)!  I've continued to have foot problems since my surgery to remove a Morton's Neuroma a year ago December.  I've recently switched from an orthopedic surgeon to a podiatrist (which, in hindsight, is where I ought to have started in the first place), who has additionally diagnosed me with severe Achilles Tendonitis and has me wearing these lovely night splints while I (attempt to) sleep.

The splints (which, right now, don't last the night) leave me pretty sore in the morning, so I'm trying to grab afternoon workouts where I can (once I've been up and worked through the kinks).  I start PT tomorrow and I'm really hopeful that, combined with this squeaky clean eating, I can get some more intense workouts logged, and get back to working out first thing in the morning!

Other resources:
I've started a Whole 30 board on Pinterest with some other recipes.
The Whole 30 website has some excellent downloads that I've been relying on.
Melissa, the amazing authoress of Well Fed and Well Fed 2, not only has a very helpful website, but has also been publishing some weekly plans for those kicking off the New Year with a Whole 30.  Here are links to Week 1, Week 2, and Week 3.

Are you doing a Whole 30?  What's your favorite recipe so far?