Bacon and Rosemary Cauliflower Mash

I don't really miss potatoes.  After a year of eating Primal, I've come to the conclusion that sides like rice, pasta and white-fleshed potatoes aren't very tasty.  They're merely vehicles for something more flavorful and satiating - like stew, chili, Indian food, or pot roast.  I've really enjoyed finding vegetable substitutes for carb-heavy staples.  I discovered a delicious Meat Lasagna with eggplant instead of noodles, I perfected roasting a spaghetti squash to serve along with my favorite Bolognese Sauce and I make coconut flour tortillas on a regular basis (for tacos and enchiladas).  My next experiment is zucchini and squash noodles - yum.  I originally found this recipe on Robb Wolf's site.  It yields at least 6 servings.

Special Equipment Needed:
food processor (or blender)
medium stock pot with lid

Ingredients: 
2 heads cauliflower; stem removed, cut into florets
1 cup chicken stock
1/4 tsp black pepper
2-4 cloves garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 sprig rosemary
3-4 slices cooked, thick-slice bacon
2 tbsp olive oil

Instructions:
1.  Place chopped cauliflower into stock pot along with chicken stock and garlic cloves.
2.  Steam cauliflower until you can easily smush it with a fork (start with 20 minutes and go from there).  If you take out the cauliflower before it's "smushable" the mash won't be smooth.
3.  Place all contents of pot into food processor along with olive oil, rosemary and bacon.
4.  Mix until smooth.  Do not overmix.  When it looks creamy, STOP MIXING.

Had to process the cauliflower a bit first, to make room for the bacon and rosemary

I love serving this alongside my favorite bison chili.  A little bit of rosemary goes a long way and the bacon is well, bacon - so it's awesome.  Happy nomming!

Garlic Green Beans with Toasted Almonds

****UPDATE****

Want to know how it tastes?  Check out the episode of Table Scraps featuring these delicious green goodies.

When I found out that Primal eating frowned upon consuming legumes, I was worried I would have to give up green beans.  Fortunately, because green beans are eaten fresh (not dried like most legumes), they are designated “Paleo-k” by my favorite Primal guru, Mark Sisson.  Hallelujah!  When my mom first made this dish for me a few years ago, I was blown away with how tasty it was, especially considering how simple it was to prepare.  I  slightly tweaked her recipe to make it more Primal-friendly: fresh, organic green beans instead of frozen, french-cut beans; and clarified butter instead of conventional butter.

Special Equipment needed:
large skillet/saute pan
pasta pot or stock pot
small skillet/saute pan

Ingredients:
1 lb. fresh green beans, trimmed*
1 tbsp clarified butter
½ cup - 1 cup almonds, chopped
2 tsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic; minced

*to trim green beans, simply snap off the stubby, brown ends using your thumbnail



Instructions:
1. Bring a pot of water to a boil (to save time and energy, put a lid on your pot to help it boil faster).  Add green beans and boil until bright green, about 8 minutes.  I prefer my green beans with a bit of crunch so make sure to taste test the beans before taking them off the heat.  Drain the green beans and set aside.
2. Melt 1 tbsp clarified butter in a small saute pan over medium heat.  Add your chopped almonds and toast until browned slightly.  Keep an eye on them so they don’t burn.
3. Heat 2 tsp of olive oil in large saute pan over medium heat.  Add garlic and cook for a few minutes, until fragrant.  Add green beans and toasted almonds, tossing to coat.

 
Want to know how it tastes?  Click HERE to see a review of this dish by my extremely critical (and extremely bald) friend, Jeremy.

Smothered Pork Chops with Onion Gravy

****UPDATE****

Want to know how it tastes?  Check out the Smothered Pork Chop episode of Table Scraps, where my friend Jeremy and I critique the dish (and each other).

 The first time I made it.

I’m a sucker for a good, pan-fried pork chop.  I thought my days of breaded meat were over when I made the jump to Primal eating, but thanks to the miracle that is almond flour, I can enjoy this fantastic Southern dish without the gut pain that used to accompany it.  And the onion gravy is so good, it practically steals the show.  I grew up detesting onions (as well as most things green and nutritious).  I know my parents would stare in disbelief if they could see me now - raiding the fridge late at night to slurp down some delicious sauteed onions.  This is a quick and easy recipe that yields 4-6 servings. I usually pair this dish with green beans, but any veggie (or salad) would go great with this.

Special Equipment needed:
large skillet (the bigger, the better)

Ingredients:
4-6 thick cut pork chops (about ¾ - 1 inch thick)
½ cup almond flour
2 tbsp coconut flour
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp onion powder
¼ tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. smoked paprika
½ tsp. cayenne pepper (or chipotle powder)
½ cup coconut oil
2 large, sweet onions; sliced
1 cup free-range chicken stock*
½ cup coconut milk

*1 cup chicken stock: ½ cup free-range chicken broth plus ½ cup water.

Instructions:
1. Rinse the pork chops and pat dry.
2. Mix together the almond flour, coconut flour, garlic powder, pepper, salt, paprika and cayenne.  Spread evenly on a plate.
3. Heat coconut oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.
4. Dredge the pork chops in the flour mixture and shake off the excess.  Save the remaining flour for the gravy.
5. Add pork chops to skillet and cook for 4-5 minutes per side, until they have reached an internal temperature of 145°.  Use a meat thermometer to avoid under-cooking.  If your pan is too small to fit all the pork chops, cook them in batches.  Overcrowding the pan will only increase your cook time.  Set cooked chops aside on paper towels to drain.
6. Without cleaning the pan, add sliced onions and stir to loosen up any browned bits.  Cook until onions are well-browned and translucent.
7. Sprinkle the leftover flour mixture onto the onions.  Add the chicken stock and stir well.  Simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until sauce begins to thicken. Add coconut milk and remove from heat.  Serve over pork chops.

 The second time I made it (for my parents)

Want to know how it tastes?  Click HERE to see a review of this dish by my extremely critical (and extremely bald) friend, Jeremy.