Stuffed Pork Loin

Copied from: Stupid Easy Paleo

Serves: Serves 8

 

Ingredients

• 4 lb (1814 g) pork loin roast
• 1 c (100 g) chopped walnuts
• ½ c (100 g) dried apricots*, chopped
• ½ c (75 g) tart dried cherries*
• 15 fresh sage leaves, roughly chopped
• 2 tsp (14 g) fine sea salt
• 1 tsp (5 g) ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375F (191C). Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.
2. Prepare the pork loin roast by butterflying or cutting it in a roll fashion. Here’s how to cut it in a roll so the meat looks beautiful and spiraled when you cut into it. You may want to pound the meat so it’s uniformly flat. Set it aside and prepare the filling.
3. In a small bowl, mix the walnuts, dried apricots, dried cherries and sage.
4. With the meat lying open, sprinkle about half the salt and pepper on the inside. Now, place the filling on the meat in one layer. You’ll want to stay away from the edges so the filling won’t fall out when you roll it.
5. Starting with the thinnest end toward you, roll the meat up carefully. Place the rolled edge down and the fat up. Wrap butcher’s twine around the roast every few inches so it doesn’t open up during roasting.
6. Roast the pork for approximately 40-50 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into the meat reads 145F (63C). Allow the roast to cool for about 10 minutes, then slice it into rounds with a sharp knife.

Notes

*Look for dried fruit that in unsweetened when possible.

(Crockpot) Pork and Pumpkin Chili

My friend Louise shared this recipe with me, and it's a winner for sure. Who doesn't love a slow cooker dish that can stay cooking for all 10 hours you're gone during the day??

Recipe copied from: Primally Inspired

Crockpot Paleo Pork and Pumpkin Chili
 10-12 or more servings

Ingredients:
3 lbs pork roast
2 onions, diced
2 14.5 oz cans fire roasted diced tomatoes
7 oz can diced green chilies 
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped (you can find these in the International aisle of your supermarket, usually next to the cans of diced green chilies)***
1 heaping tablespoon adobo sauce***
4 cloves garlic, minced
 ¼ cup cilantro (I omitted this) 
2 cups chicken stock or bone broth
salt and pepper
¼ cup chili powder
2 tablespoons cumin
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons cocoa powder
2 cups roasted pumpkin or squash or you can use 1 can of pumpkin
1 bunch kale or mustard greens, roughly chopped
Optional Toppings: avocado, additional cilantro, a sprinkling of chipotle chili powder, sour cream and cheese, if you eat dairy

 DIRECTIONS:
 Place your pork in the crockpot and season with salt and pepper. Add the onions, fire roasted tomatoes, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, green chilies, garlic and spices. Add your chicken stock and then toss in your cilantro. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 4-5 hours. An hour before it’s done, take out the pork and shred it with 2 forks. Put the pork back into the crockpot. Now pour your roasted pumpkin/squash in the crockpot and give it a good stir. Add the kale or mustard greens and give it a final stir. Cook for an hour.
Serve with avocado, extra cilantro, a sprinkle of chipotle chili powder and sour cream and cheese, if you wish. Enjoy!
 *The spiciness of this recipe is perfect to me – it’s not too spicy, but it does give a smoky and slightly spicy heat. If you like a spicier chili, add in another chipotle pepper or add in some additional chipotle chili powder.

***I could not find chipotle peppers in adobo sauce that didn't have added high fructose corn syrup. SO I found some adobo powder in the same section. I used a couple teaspoons of that instead! 

Pork Tenderloin and Quinoa Salad

I've always been intimidated by pork tenderloin, because it can dry out so easily when it's cooked. But I think this recipe is fool proof!

Pork Tenderloin

2, 1.5 lb pork tenderloins
seasoning blend*
Aluminum Foil
Rimmed baking sheet
*I used a blend of garlic, salt, pepper, paprika, onion powder, oregano, and rosemary. If you don't have a blend, just slather on whatever spices you have.  And use a lot!

1. Bring pork tenderloins close to room temp. Trim and season well.
2. Place on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet.
3. Bake at 375* for 45 minutes.
4. Remove from oven. Let rest for 10 minutes in an aluminum foil teepee. Slice and serve.

Fresh Quinoa Salad

Quinoa
Tomatoes
Cucumber
Avocado
Purple Onion(optional) 

Olive oil 

Pine nuts 

1. Cook quinoa according to it's package directions.
2. Drain and place in a bowl to cool.
3. Chop tomatoes, cucumber, avocado, and onion
4. Add oil, chopped veggies, pine nuts, and salt and pepper.
5. Serve cold.

Sausage and Veggie Skillet

Need an easy weeknight one dish wonder? This ones for you. The guys ate second helpings. It was so simple and tasty. 

Copied From: Paleo Grubs

1. 4 medium zucchini
2. 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
3. 5 cloves garlic, minced
4. 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
5. 2 heads of broccoli, cut into florets
6. Salt and pepper, to taste
7. 8 oz. Italian sausage, casings removed
8. 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (I used the ones packed in olive oil)
9. Juice of 1/2 lemon

Instructions

1. Shred the zucchini into ribbons with a vegetable peeler and place in a large bowl. Set aside.
2. Brown the sausage in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Use a spoon to break it into small pieces. Set aside.
3. Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a separate large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Transfer everything to a small glass bowl and set aside.
4. Add the remaining olive oil to the skillet. Add the broccoli and sprinkle with salt. Sauté for 8-10 minutes until fork-tender and slightly browned. Add the sundried tomatoes along with 1/3 cup water. Simmer until the water has evaporated. Remove the skillet from heat. Stir in the crumbled sausage and drizzle with lemon juice.
5. Toss the zucchini ribbons with the infused olive oil. Spoon the sausage mixture over the pasta to serve.

Halloween Day

Several of my coworkers went all out with Halloween costumes, including the oopma loopa, the flower pot, the pirates, and the ninja turtles. How fun?! I think the residents really enjoyed it. We even had a Halloween party and carnival complete with funnel cakes, corn dogs, and games. 

At home, Billie and I passed out candy to some beyond cute trick-or-treaters. I felt they deserved extra candy for braving the  45 degree weather and 18mph wind! 

Meanwhile, our friend and house guest prepared dinner for us! Tom and his wife were stationed with us in Arizona. Tom just returned from deployment and is hanging with us while he finds a house here.

Can I just tell you what it felt like to walk in my kitchen and see someone else cooking? Besides me. FOR ME. It was euphoric. And a much welcomed gesture after a very long week. 

Besides that, it was stinking GOOD. Spice rubbed pork tenderloin (he said 375 for about 40 mins), asparagus with pine nuts, and quinoa. Yep, I could get used to this house guest thing. :) 

PUMPED for our Halloween party tomorrow!!! Stay tuned. 

"10-Minute Asian Fried Cabbage with Yummy Sauce"

Lately,  all my posts have been food-related. This can get boring for those of you who read my blog for Webb life updates. But food is mostly what we do!

My sweet Grandmother is my avid blog reader. Each time we talk, she tells me how "exotic" of a cook I am. :) She recently said "Katherine sends me all these recipes, and I don't have half of the ingredients in my pantry. Like coconut milk and mangoes. I don't know what a mango is! I think it's something like an orange, but I'm not sure."

Grandmother, we are even. Because I could NEVER make potato salad, cornbread, and roast-and-rice-and-gravy as good as you! :)

So here is another exotic recipe for you who are following our food endeavors!

Last weekend, I went to a local farm called Giving Thanks farm. Got some ground pork to make this...

"10 Minute Asian Fried Cabbage with Yummy Sauce"

While I was at the farm, I also bought bones to make homemade broth and some chicken livers. More on that to come!

This dish was delicious! Try it out and let me know what you think.


"10 Minute Asian Fried Cabbage with Yummy Sauce"
Copied from: Satisfying Eats

Ingredients

1. • 1 lb. ground pork (Ground chicken, turkey or beef will also work.)
   • 1 small cabbage (approximately 1 lb.)
   • 1 tbsp. butter or coconut oil
   • 2 tsp. freshly grated ginger (or more to taste)
   • 1/2 tbsp. garlic powder
   • 2-1/2 tbsp. Coconut Aminos* (See notes above for alternatives.)
   • Himalayan salt, to taste (optional)
   • 1 tbsp. sesame oil (optional)
   •  
   Yummy Sauce
   
   • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
   • 2 tsp. organic ketchup (or tomato paste)
   • 1 tsp. lemon juice
   • 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
   • 1 tbsp. water
   • 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
   • 2 servings Organic KAL Stevia or sweetener of choice, to taste (I used honey)

Instructions

1. Heat a large frying pan (the larger, the quicker the recipe will cook) over medium-high heat. Add the ground meat and brown, stirring occasionally. This should take around 5 minutes.
   While meat is cooking, cut the cabbage away from the core and then slice into thin strips and then into smaller pieces. Once meat is cooked, drain off any excess oil (if any) and return to pan. Add the cabbage and the remaining ingredients (except the sesame oil) to the meat. Using tongs, toss the ingredients and allow the cabbage and meat mixture to cook, uncovered for 5 minutes, or until cabbage is slightly wilted or cooked to your desired doneness. Taste for salt and for ginger flavor and add more if needed. Turn off heat and toss in sesame oil. Serve with Yummy Sauce.
   
   Yummy Sauce
   Blend all ingredients in a small bowl. Taste for sweetness and heat and adjust if needed. Serve with Asian Fried Cabbage or pour this on anything and enjoy! 

Notes

1. Nutrition: 275 Calories, 20 grams Fat, 6.7 Total Carbs, 2.3 grams Fiber, 4.5 Net Carbs, 17 grams Protein per serving.

"Herb Pastured Pork Tenderloin with Ginger Cherry Puree"

 

Recipe copied from: Paleoista 

Serves: 3-4

Ingredients

• 2 1-pound pastured pork tenderloins
• 2 tablespoons freshly ground flax seeds
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• dash red pepper flakes
• Black pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 inch piece fresh ginger, minced
• 1/2 cup sour cherries (frozen with no additives is a good option)
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Pat dry tenderloins
3. Combine flax, cumin, red and black pepper in flat dish
4. Add water to create a paste
5. Spread paste evenly onto tenderloins
6. Heat oil in cast iron skillet over medium
7. Add ginger and sauté one to two minutes, then remove and set aside
8. Add tenderloins and cook two minutes per side
9. Place skillet in oven and cook until internal temp = 150F (about 15 minutes)
10. Meanwhile, combine sautéed ginger with cherries and puree in food processor
11. Remove tenderloins and let sit in foil tent for 10 minutes
12. Spread cherry mixture on platter
13. Slice tenderloin and arrange on top of cherries
14. Garnish with rosemary, onion and scallions
15. Serve on a bed of your favorite green veggies

Grilled Pork and Sweet Potatoes

Check out some of the sunrises I've gotten to watch during my drive to work. 

God does an amazing job, eh? 

On another note, Billie and I are working on becoming grill masters. As much as I love the idea of our new grill, it scares me. A lot. Every time I walk by it, I expect flames to jump out.

Last week, we grilled pork tenderloin and sweet potato wedges. Both great recipes. 

Then Billie left me in charge of these babies while he ran to the store...

Whoops. 

So far, my grilling attempts can be summarized in one word: burnt.

Hopefully I'll get the hang of it. Until then, we won't be having anyone over for burgers. 

 Grilled Chili Lime Sweet Potato Wedges 

Copied from: Paleomg.com

Serves: 1-2

Ingredients

• 1 sweet potato or yam
• 2 tablespoons choice of fat (I used olive oil but you could use coconut or whatever else)
• juice of 2 limes
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Place your sweet potato or yam in a large pot with water that completely covers it.
2. Put your pot over medium heat and let the sweet potato cook until you can poke it with a fork and it’s nice and soft. This took about 15-18 for my large sweet potato to cook through.
3. Once your pull your softened sweet potato out of the water to cool, heat up your grill.
4. When your sweet potato has cooled, cut it into wedges. The size or shape doesn’t matter, just that you love how they look.
5. Toss the sweet potatoes in a bowl with the remaining ingredients.
6. Place on the top rack of your grill to cook for 15-18 minutes, depending on the thickness of the sweet potatoes. Turn them over half way through cooking.
7. When the sweet potatoes have a bit of char to them and nice grill marks, place them on a plate and sprinkle with a bit more salt and chili powder while still hot.
8. Let cool so you don’t burn every taste bud you have

Notes

You could bake these in the oven as well, just bake them at about 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes, turning them over half way through.

Tangy Grilled Pork Tenderloin
From: allrecipes.com

Original recipe makes 6 servings 

• 2 pounds pork tenderloin
  2/3 cup honey 
• 1/2 cup Dijon mustard
  1/4 teaspoon chili powder  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Check All Add to Shopping List

Directions

1. Place meat in a large resealable plastic bag. In a medium bowl, mix together honey, Dijon mustard, chili powder, and salt. Pour marinade over tenderloins, seal, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
2. Prepare the grill for indirect heat.
3. Lightly oil grill grate. Remove meat from marinade, and discard liquid. Grill for 15 to 25 minutes, or to desired doneness.

Crock Pot Kalua Pork

A few days ago, I saw this image on Pinterest and thought it was too good to be true.

But, it was right on the money. It was really flavorful... I still can't believe it was just seasoned with salt!

 

I bought a 4 1/2 lb. boneless pork shoulder, trimmed the fat, rubbed it good with sea salt, and cooked it on low in the crock pot for 16 hours. 

Voila!!

We served it topped with some BBQ sauce (we love the Organicville brand) for Sunday football.

SO simple and feeds lots of people!

Crock Pot Cabbage Rolls, AKA "Golumbki"

From: Stupid Easy Paleo 
Prep time: 30 min     Cook time: 5 hours (crockpot)     Serves: 4
Ingredients:

• 1 large head of green cabbage
• 1 lb (500 g) grassfed ground beef
• 1 lb (500 g) lean ground pork
• 1/2 white onion, diced finely
• 1.5 cups of riced / grated cauliflower
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 15 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 8 oz can tomato sauce (not pasta sauce)
• Coconut oil or fat of choice

Directions:
1. Rice / grate the cauliflower. I use the grating attachment on my food processor or you could grate by hand. Save  1.5 cups for this recipe and the rest for something else…it’s tasty fried up in this side dish.

2. Dice the onion finely.

3. In a large bowl, mix the beef, pork, salt, pepper and garlic powder.

4. Put a large pot of water on the stove over high heat. To prepare the cabbage for rolling, you’ll lightly boil it whole and peel the leaves off a few at a time. Cut the core out of the cabbage and place in the pot. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. As the leaves soften, you can peel them off with a spoon. Take care not to rip them in half. The whole process usually takes about 15 minutes. Alternatively, you can throw the whole cabbage in and let it simmer for about 15 minutes – the outermost leaves will become very soft but still usable. In either case, peel as many of the leaves off as you can and let cool a bit.

5. In a large skillet over medium-high heat put a spoonful of coconut oil or your fat of choice. Add the onion and grated cauliflower  and and sauté for 3-5 minutes until the onion is translucent and the cauliflower is softened. Turn off the heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes.

6. Combine the onion / cauliflower with the meat and mix by hand to incorporate all the ingredients.

7. Roll the "golumbki" by taking a cabbage leaf – concave side up with the stem toward you – and placing a large spoonful of the meat mixture at the stem end. Then roll forward, fold the sides in and end with the seam down.

8. Mix the crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce (not pasta sauce) in a bowl. Put ~1 cup in the bottom of the crockpot (or casserole dish). Lay the golumbki in with the seam side down. Cover with the remaining tomato mixture once the crock is full.

9. For a crockpot, cook on low for 5 hours. If using the oven, cover the top of the dish with foil and bake for 1.5 hours at 350F (175C).

Paleo Stuffed Bell Peppers

I was so happy to be able to cook one of my childhood favorites but to make it paleo!

This recipe is from the Everyday Paleo Cookbook by Sarah Fragoso.

We loved it... Can't wait til you try it. :)

Aren't these babies photogenic??

 "Spicy Speedy Stuffed Peppers"

Ingredients:
- 4 T. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
- 3 celery stalks, finely diced
- 3 carrots, finely diced
- 1 1/2 lbs. Italian pork sausage, casings removed
- 1 lb. grass fed ground beef (mine was not grass fed)
- 2 T. dried oregano
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- sea salt and pepper to taste
- 1 small zucchini or squash, finely diced
- 3 C diced fresh basil (I used only the few leaves I had!)
- 3-4 Roma tomatoes, diced or 1 can of diced tomatoes
- 5-6 bell peppers
- 1 T. hot sauce (optional, or more to taste!)

Instructions: 
1.  Preheat oven to 250.
2. Fill a large soup pot with water and bring to boil.
3. While you are waiting for the water to boil, cover the bottom of another soup pot with olive oil and saute the onion, celery, and carrots on medium until onions are translucent. (I pulsed the onion, carrots, and celery in my food processor to get them finely chopped.)
4. Crumble in the sausage and beef and add all dry seasonings
5. Add zucchini, basil, and tomatoes. (Again, I pulsed these in the food processor to get them finely chopped!) Mix well, and let the meat and veggies cook over medium-low heart for 10-15 mins, stirring occasionally
6. In the meantime, remove just the tops of the bell peppers and rinse well to remove seeds.
7. By now, your water should be boiling. Place bell peppers gently in water and submerge them for 5-6 minutes, or until the bell peppers are tender, but not falling apart.
8. Pull bell peppers out of the water with tongs and arrange on a large baking dish. Fill each bell pepper with meat mixture (don't be shy... stuff 'em good!) and bake for 20 mins.

Pork Carnitas and Avocado Salsa

Look what I got in the mail!!

(Click here to read about how I am a "Devo Diva"!)

Devo Olive Oil Co. September Flavors!!  

As soon as I tasted them, I knew exactly what I wanted to make!

#1: Avocado salsa

You need:
2 avocados, diced
1/4 purple onion, finely chopped
2 T. jalapeno white balsamic vinegar (This stuff is amazing)
salt
pepper

That's it!! Mix it in a bowl. The flavor is pretty amazing! Not spicy... just flavorful and a tad bit sweet.

We ate pork carnitas at Heather and Tony's house in Anaheim a few weeks ago, and I have been thinking about them since! Heather graciously shared the recipe with me. :) It's originally from "The Clothes Make the Girl" blog, but click here for a tutorial from another blog. Perfect dish to top with my avocado salsa! (The avocado salsa would be great on chicken or just to dip with chips!)

Here is the recipe:
(Copied from The Clothes Make the Girl) 

Stovetop Pork Carnitas

Ingredients:
3-4 lbs. pork shoulder, boneless or bone-in
1/2 cup lime juice
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 heaping (!) tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1/2 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions:
1. Cut the pork shoulder into a few large chunks. You don’t want them bite-sized; I make mine about 3-4 inches.
2. Mix cumin, garlic powder, salt, coriander, black pepper, and cayenne together in a small bowl. Place the pork chunks in a plastic container with a lid or a Ziploc bag. Pour in the spice blend, then toss the bag vigorously until the chunks are completely coated on all sides.
3. Place the pork in a large, deep pan. Pour the lime and lemon juice into the bottom, then add water to just cover the meat.
4. Turn heat to high and bring the water to a rip-roaring boil. You want big bubbles! When it’s rolling, turn the heat to a simmer. Keep the pan uncovered. You want it bubble a fair amount, but not be a roiling boil.  While it’s cooking, it will look like uninspired soup. Do not be discouraged! Essentially, you’re waiting for the water to evaporate from the pan, but while the water is evaporating, the powerful acidic qualities of the lime and lemon juice are tenderizing the meat. Yay, science!
5. At about the 2-hour mark, check the pot. The water should be much lower and maybe even almost gone. Now things get interesting… allow all the water to cook out of the pan and watch as the meat magically fries and carmelizes. It is a thing of beauty. But seriously, you need to watch it at this point.
6. Carefully turn the hunks of meat – without shredding them – to brown all sides, then remove the hunks  to a plate and let them rest for 5 minutes before eating. If you’re into this sort of thing, you can save the pork fat from the bottom of the pan in a glass jar and use it for other cooking projects.

What to do with pork carnitas…

• Eat it like an animal.
• Serve on a plate with avocado slices, pineapple chunks, chopped cilantro, and lime wedges.
• Cut into cubes and use in paleo egg foo yung.
• Shred, wrap in butter lettuce leaves, and drizzle with Sunshine Sauce.
• Eat alongside creamy cucumber salad made with homemade mayo.
• Shred and saute in coconut oil with shredded cabbage, onion, and a sprinkle of caraway seeds.

Stay tuned to see what I make with the cilantro and roasted onion olive oil from Devo! And check out Devo's website to look at their products, either for you or as a gift! 

Paleo Czech Meatballs

OK... I feel like I may have said this before. But these are the BEST meatballs I have made. I know, I know... I tend to over-use happy adjectives. But I promise it is so appropriate! My second favorite meatballs right now are the Savory Bacon and Maple Meatballs I posted a while back. 

But I couldn't get over these paleo Czech meatballs. Being made with pork makes them so juicy, and the spices are different from anything I've tasted. When I told Billie the secret ingredient was Caraway seed (which I don't think I've EVER used before), he said, "MMM, I love caraway. Caraway's my favorite." haha

 It was recommended that they be served with sauerkraut, but I served them with cole slaw, which seemed like the next closest thing?? They'd also be great with cauliflower mash and anything green!

Here is the recipe
From: The Clothes Make the Girl

Ingredients:
1 clove garlic, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
1/2 tablespoon salt ( I would recommend way less!)
1 tablespoon caraway seeds
1 teaspoon ground paprika
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 cup fresh parsley leaves, minced (about 1/4 cup)
1 tablespoon grainy mustard
1 large egg
2 pounds ground pork

Directions:
1. Mix all ingredients together until well blended and form into meatballs. I made them fairly-large – about 9 per pound of meat.
2. On the grill: Heat grill to high, then cook meatballs five minutes with lid closed, flip, and cook an additional five minutes, until nicely browned. In the oven: Preheat oven to 400F and cook 20 minutes or so. On the stovetop: Brown in a hot saute pan, then cover with a lid and reduce heat to medium-low until cooked through. (I used the oven!!)

These are wicked good: tender, flavorful, and perfect for Fall. You can also try sauteed cabbage as a bed for the meatballs. Saute 1/2 onion in coconut oil ’til soft. Add 1/2 head sliced cabbage, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, and a generous sprinkle of salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Saute until everything is nicely wilted and starting to brown around the edges.

Must be missin' Louisiana

A friend of mine scored some collard greens this past week. (The Food Co-Op here does a $15 basket of all kinds of fruits and vegetables. And she shared some of her loot with me! Thanks Kayla!) :) I had never cooked collards, but I have sure eaten them! Greens remind me so much of the south.

I looked up several different ways to prepare my greens and decided on this recipe:

1 T. olive oil
3 slices bacon
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
little salt... just a little before you taste-test
little pepper
3 C. chicken broth
pinch red pepper flakes
1 pound fresh collard greens, stripped from stem and cut into 2-inch pieces

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add bacon, and cook until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, crumble and return to the pan. (I poured all the excess bacon grease out.) Add onion, and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, and cook until just fragrant. Add collard greens, and fry until they start to wilt.
2. Pour in chicken broth, and season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes, or until greens are tender.

We ate them with some already-cooked andouille pork sausage. You can find good brands of sausage with the only added ingredients being spices. I sliced the sausage, warmed it in the oven, then we ate bowls full of collards and sausage (and mushrooms in my bowl.) Doesn't get more southern than that! :)

Savory Bacon and Maple Meatballs

These are my new favorite meatballs! I made them last week and served them with a salad and sweet potato for dinner. I'm making them again this week and eating them for breakfast! I'm sure you could make them into sausage "patties" to make them seem more breakfast-y!

Photo credit: www.againfaster.com

Breakfast Bacon and Maple Meatballs

From: Paleomg.com 

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1lb breakfast sausage (no sugar added)
• 1 sweet potato
• 4oz button mushrooms (I used half a container of sliced button mushrooms)-I omitted this
• ½ yellow onion, peeled
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup-I used honey 
• 5-6 slices of bacon
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Place your bacon slices in a pan over medium heat. Cook on both sides until crispy, place on a paper towel to soak up the excess fat and cool, then dice up into small pieces that would fit well in meatballs. 
3. Place your sweet potato in a food processor with the shredding attachment. Shred your sweet potato, remove contents, then shred it once more. You want it pretty fine.
4. Then shred your onion and mushrooms in the same container with the sweet potato that was shredded twice.
5. Add your sweet potato, mushrooms, and yellow onion to a bowl along with your breakfast sausage, maple syrup, garlic clove, diced bacon, and salt and pepper and mix well. Your hands are your best tools.
6. Place parchment paper on a baking sheet then start making your meatballs.
7. What is helpful is using an ice cream scoop so they are all the same size. Roll the scooped out balls in your hands and place on a baking sheet. Repeat until all your ingredients are gone.
8. Bake for 30-35 minutes until meatballs are golden brown and completely cooked through. Be sure to check one before you turn the oven off!

Simple Meatsauce

Another recipe copied straight from PaleOmg. Tasty and simple. Serve over sauteed veggies. I made this before our trip and froze half of the meat sauce. We finished it up when we got home! 

Prep time:  10 mins

Cook time:  20 mins

Total time:  30 mins

Serves: 2-4

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground chicken (or beef)
• 1 pound bulk pork mild italian sausage
• 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 2 (14 ounce ) cans of tomato sauce
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon dried parsley
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ cup fresh basil, finely chopped
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1-2 tablespoons fat of choice

Instructions

1. Heat up a large saucepan over medium heat, add a couple tablespoons of fat of choice then add minced garlic cloves, the bell peppers and onion along with a little salt and pepper to the pan.
2. Move vegetables around until onions become translucent.
3. Add ground chicken and bulk Italian sausage to the saucepan and break up the meat.
4. When meat has begun to cook through, add the spices.
5. When meat is almost done cooking, pour in the two cans of tomato sauce.
6. Salt and pepper once more, then reduce heat and let simmer for 5-7 minutes.
7. When all the flavors are well mixed, add the chopped fresh basil, mix well, and serve!
8. Easy peasy! Put on mushrooms, brussel sprouts, spaghetti squash, eggs, acorn squash, really anything you want. Or eat it cold.

Apple Balsamic Pork Loin

I used my Devo Red Apple Balsamic for this marinade. Apple and pork and rosemary go SO well together!

Here is the recipe:

 2 lb. pork loin roast

salt and pepper 

1-2 tsp. dried rosemary (minced, if it is in leaf form)

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup Devo red apple balsamic vinegar

1 T. honey 

2 cloves of garlic, minced 

1. Trim the visible fat from your pork loin. Mix together the final 5 ingredients listed above and marinate the pork in this mixture for several hours. 

2. When it's "go time," take the pork out of the marinade and season with salt and pepper.

3. Heat a little oil in the skillet (on high) and brown your pork on all sides

4. Transfer the skillet (if oven safe) to the oven.

5. Baste with the pork loin with your leftover marinade throughout the cooking time. 

6. Bake on 350* for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes. 

*I HIGHLY recommend a meat thermometer. Pork is so, so easy to overcook. And who wants dry pork? Not this girl. New standards say that an internal temp. of 145 is sufficient for pork. (The cooking experts used to say 160.) After the internal temp is reached, take the pork out of the oven and let it rest for several minutes before cutting. I have a meat thermometer that has a cord connecting the thermometer and the screen with the reading (that part sits on the counter.) The cord can be shut up in the oven and just stay there while your meat is cooking. I love it! 

 *served with oven roasted squash and zucchini seasoned with olive oil, salt, and pepper*

Best meal ever

Happy Sunday!!!  I hope you have a great day and feel like you have a chance to connect with the Lord. Side note for those of you who have asked: We visited several churches here, and I think we've found the one we want to call home. Thunder Mountain Community Church. They just started a series called "Simple. Not easy" about marriage and family, which I'm super excited about. Last week, Mother's Day was focused on husbands and their roles. The preacher talked about serving one another. So this week, I told Billie he could serve me by watching "So you think you can dance" and "Downton Abbey" with me. ;)


On to the food...
I made this recipe earlier in the week. Hands down: one of our favorite meals yet. Whether you cook "Paleo" or not, you need to make this meal. ASAP. We both started eating the pork from the crock pot. It's the best tasting pork I have ever had!

From www.fitpaleomom.com
"Beyond Easy Pulled Pork with Mango Salsa"
Ingredients:
2 yellow onions, sliced
Pulled pork 4-5 lb pork butt roast (I talked to the butcher for a while and ended up buying a boneless shoulder roast... I think.) My Mom once told me to make the butcher my best friend. It was great advice. I get overwhelmed in the meat section. ha

Dry rub:
3 tbsps chili powder
1 tsp coriander
2 tsps cumin
2 tsps onion powder
1 tbsp dried parsley (I used Italian seasoning)
1/4 tsp chipotle powder (I couldn't find this, so we skipped it)
2 tsps sea salt

 Mix all dry rub ingredients together. Rub the entire roast with the dry rub. Place a layer of onions on the bottom of the crock pot. Place the roast on top. Put the rest of the sliced onions on top of the roast. NO LIQUID NECESSARY. Cook roast on high for 5-6 hours and then on low for another 3-4 hours or until the roast is literally falling apart.

 Mango and red pepper salsa:
 2 mangoes, peeled and chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup purple onion (Billie doesn't love onion, so I pulverized mine in the food processor)
1 jalapeño, finely chopped (I skipped this)
Cilantro- how ever much you like
2-3 tbsp lime juice Salt and pepper

Mix all together and use to top the shredded pork in a lettuce wrap.

Caribbean pulled pork

We LOVED this recipe. The cauliflower mash was the perfect side to this dish, and the leftovers were even better the second day!

Caribbean pork: (I got this recipe from www.allrecipes.com... just changed a couple things)

1/2 cup juice from a fresh orange
1 T curry powder
1 tsp chicken bouillon granules
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 apple, peeled and diced
1 small onion, chopped
1 tsp minced garlic
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup shredded coconut
2 lbs boneless pork loin

Combine the first 6 ingredients in the crock pot. Then stir in the apple, onion, garlic, raisins, and coconut. Place pork on top. Cook on low for 5-6 hours. Shred the pork with a fork.

Cauliflower mash:

1. Fill a stockpot with 1-2 inches of water and turn the heat on high.
2. Once boiling, add chopped cauliflower, salt, and garlic.
3. Put on the lid and boil for 10-15 minutes, until the cauliflower is pierced easily with a fork.
4. Dump cauliflower and water into a strainer. Then add the cauliflower to your food processor.
5. Add a few tablespoons of butter, salt and pepper to taste, and any other seasonings you would like. I added chicken broth once. Another time, I added chicken bouillon granules and onion power. That was delicious. :) Blend it until it looks like mashed potatoes.