Cavegirl in Austin 2012

I went on a cheap (ish) vacation to Austin, Texas with my Mom for Labor Day Weekend 2012.  And it was the best vacation I've been on in quite awhile.  I hadn't been to Austin in about 5 years and after spending a weekend there, I fell in love all over again.

I did lots of research on places to eat, fun things to do and cool places to hang out and relax.  We achieved about 85% of places to eat, 40% of fun things to do and 100% of places to hang out and relax.  I was really excited about the challenge of trying to stay Primal throughout my vacation, especially since my research found TONS of restaurants sporting local, organic produce and meat.  I did let some less-than-Primal foods sneak in here and there (mostly corn and potatoes) but I probably was about 75% successful in my attempt to stay Primal, which I am definitely happy about.  The longer I eat this way, the easier it is to maintain and the more joy I get out of the TASTE of food.

Thursday, August 30
6:30am - After arriving at LAX, I purchased and Odwalla "All-Natural" (who knows what THAT means, nowadays) Orange Juice and Resource "Natural + Electrolytes" (whut?) water.  I snacked on mixed nuts (raw almonds, walnuts and pecans) that I brought from home along with a banana and a clementine.  I'm optimistic that hunger will not be a problem today, especially since flying makes my stomach a grumpy asshole.

4pm (2pm, LA time) - My (hopefully) one cheat meal of the week: Spring Creek Barbecue in Houston, Texas.

not pictured: delicious, buttery dinner rolls (I had already eaten them before I thought to take a picture)

While the meat may not be cheating, the devilishly sweet barbecue sauce and melt-in-your-mouth dinner rolls definitely are.  I've been going to this chain of barbecue restaurants since I started frequenting the original Spring Creek in Richardson, TX at age 7.  The taste of the food immediately reminds me of my childhood and eating here is my way of signifying that I have, indeed, arrived home.  I loaded up my plate with brisket and (mild) sausage, one small container of barbecue sauce, half an ear of corn (which isn't Paleo, but doesn't seem to have a negative impact on my digestion), green beans, two dinner rolls and a bottle of IBC root beer.  I was, at least, mindful of all my food choices: I grabbed the green beans instead of the gooey mac and cheese and I showed IMPRESSIVE restraint by limiting myself to just two of the ridiculously addictive dinner rolls.  I even managed to stay away from the Blue Bell Ice Cream being advertised all over the restaurant.  It didn't take long for me to feel the weight of my decision in the form of a dull, persistent stomach ache but fortunately, it did not keep me up all night, which is what usually happens when I eat wheat.  So, I'm counting that as a success.

9pm - I snacked on more mixed nuts and clementines (oh, and one oreo).

Friday, August 31st

1pm - After a 2.5-hour drive from Houston, we were starving.  As soon as we arrived in Austin (before even checking in to the B&B), we stopped to eat at Wholly Cow.

After passing the location twice we finally spotted the tiny sign on the storefront of a strip mall.  Once inside, I realized that this was THE perfect first stop in Austin.  The general store, independently-owned vibe was characteristically Austin, and everything about the place made you want to slow down and chill out - from the super-friendly waitstaff to the relaxed bench seating to the large selection of Artisan and Gluten-Free Beers, Organic/Local Wines, Organic/Local Fresh Produce and All-Natural/Local Bath Products.

I ordered the Fit Cross (Paleo) Burger and a small basket of sweet potato fries.  I grabbed a Ginger Brew while I waited for my burger.  First off, the burger LOOKED amazing.  While I'd seen lots of recipes for burgers with portabello mushrooms as buns, I'd never eaten one myself.  It came with a grass-fed beef patty, lettuce, pickles, tomato, grilled onions, bacon and the most delicious mustard I've ever had.  The portabello mushrooms did make eating a lot more messy than a traditional burger - especially since mushrooms retain a lot of water - but it was completely worth it.  The meaty taste of the mushrooms with the juiciness of the burger was so satisfying that I barely touched the sweet potato fries (which weren't the best and probably would've benefited from time in the oven rather than the fryer).

7:30pm - After checking in at the Star of Texas Inn and taking a short nap, my mom and I were ready for dinner at the newly-opened "head-to-tail" restaurant Salty Sow.

The place was surprisingly big and sprawling with two complete dining rooms and two areas of outdoor seating as well.  It was fairly crowded inside but thankfully we had a reservation so we didn't have to wait.  The overall mood of the other diners was fairly relaxed and most people were dressed casual.  The service was excellent, attentive and very friendly.  After glancing over the menu, I was reminded of my birthday dinner last year at LA's Animal restaurant.  The portions were small but packed with some of the most mind-blowing flavors I've ever tasted.  My mom and I ordered several small plates and shared everything.  We started with Roasted Bone Marrow with a parsley salad (I set the toast aside).  We then shared a refreshing Arugula Salad with Pecorino tossed with lemon juice and olive oil.  Next, we ordered some Crispy Brussel Sprout Leaves with golden raisins and paired that with Petite Bone-In Filets with the best mushroom sauce ever.  Not wanting to leave without having tried a little of everything, we ordered a Mexican Vanilla Bean Pot Du Creme with biscotti for dessert.  The final bill came out to about $70 which isn't the cheapest, but certainly worth the experience and flavors and would be a perfect location for a special occasion.

 

Saturday, September 1st

8:30am - I worked up an appetite doing my bodyweight workout on the balcony (a combination of Nerd Fitness's Beginner's Bodyweight and Mark Sisson's Grok Workout).  My mom and I discussed plans for the day over some Green Chile Egg Casserole, Texas-sized bacon and green grapes.

9:30am - We drove into downtown to check out the weekly Farmer's Market in Republic Square and it was a delightful experience.  The farmer's market was spread out over the entire park and didn't feel nearly as crowded as the Santa Monica Farmer's Market.  There was also lots of live music, areas for kids to play and local merchants selling everything from t-shirts to soap to compost bins.  I munched on some complimentary toasted hemp seeds and washed that down with a Cantaloupe Rosemary Agua Fresca.  I also picked up some jerky from locally-raised Bison.

1pm - We had planned to spend the afternoon shopping and people watching on South Congress but after 2 hours of walking in the blistering Texas heat we decided to stop for lunch despite not being very hungry.  There were two places on South Congress I wanted to try: Hopdoddy Burger Bar and South Congress Cafe.  Hopdoddy had a line out the door (with no shade) and while South Congress Cafe was equally crowded, at least we had access to seating and air conditioning while we waited about 30 minutes for a table.  The restaurant was actually quite small but worked like a well-oiled machine - constantly stream of busboys and waitstaff cleaning off tables and seating hungry customers trying to escape the heat.  I ordered some Texas-Raised Quail wrapped in bacon and served with a blackberry gastrique and habanero jelly.  Thank goodness I wasn't all that hungry because, despite the lovely presentation, the portion size left something to be desired.  The menu mentioned that the quail would come with watercress and radishes but these ended up being more of a garnish than a salad.  It didn't even seem worth mentioning on the menu.

 

9pm - I met up with an old college friend downtown and we stopped in at the Texas Chili Parlor before heading to a concert.  One of the things I miss most about Texas is the chili.  I've tried several times to recreate the tastes of authentic Texas chili in my own kitchen in LA but I just can't seem to get it right.  I ordered a small bowl of mild Texas chili (or "bowl of red") topped with diced onions.  The beef was so tender and saturated with chili sauce that it almost had a creamy texture.  It was definitely one of the most definitively Texas meals I had on the trip.

Sunday, September 2nd

8:30am - Our courtesy breakfast consisted of Eggs Florentine, more bacon, grapes and strawberries.

1:30pm - After catching a matinee at the Alamo Drafthouse Ritz downtown, we ventured into East Austin for lunch at Blue Dahlia Bistro.   The restaurant was a cute little cafe tucked in between boutique shops.  It was overflowing with people and after waiting half an hour we were crammed into a space hardly big enough for two people to stand in, let alone sit and enjoy a meal in.  The restaurant was incredibly noisy (it wreaked havoc on my mom's hearing aid), making it almost impossible to have a conversation.  Ten minutes after we were seated, our waitress arrives and takes our order (two entree salads).  While we were waiting for our lunch, we tried desperately to ignore the big and tall server for the next table over whose rear end hovered over our table on multiple occasions.  40 minutes after ordering, we finally receive our salads.  Our waitress never came by to check on us and I practically had to tackle her in order to ask for the check.  After receiving the check, I informed the waitress that my mom never received the bowl of soup she ordered or the dressing for her salad.  The waitress muttered "I'll take it off" while hurrying away to deal with other customers.  This whole experience was the only unpleasant dining experience of our entire trip.  What was most disappointing was that the food was actually really tasty but the terrible service and atmosphere almost made that a moot point.  I ordered a flavorful Black Bean Salad with corn, onions, avocado, bell pepper, cilantro and lime (not 100% Paleo, but no unwanted side effects, nonetheless).  Their sustainable pedigree was also impressive (making it the primary reason I wanted to eat there to begin with).  It's a shame that all of those benefits were completely overshadowed by poor customer service.

7pm - Another college friend of mine joined us for dinner at 24 Diner.  This place was such a welcome change from our lunch locale.  The place was spacious and much less crowded (although we still had to wait about 10 minutes to be seated).  While ordering drinks, my friend mentioned something called a "Doppelganger" and proceeded to fill me in on Dublin Dr. Pepper's sad conclusion and how a local Austin company made "Doppelganger" as an homage to Dublin Dr. Pepper.  I had a taste - it was pretty darn close, but alas, not the real thing.  We started off by ordering the Market Plate (local, seasonal vegetables, chef's choice of preparation) for the table: Golden Tomatoes and Zucchini with oil and black pepper. For my entree, I had an inspired Charred Bitters Salad with radicchio, mixed greens, mushrooms, gorgonzola, walnuts and a roasted shallot vinaigrette.  I added chicken to it for an extra protein boost.  I enjoyed the charred radicchio so much that I'm already looking at recipes to recreate the delicious taste at home.

10:45pm - While attending a special screening of "True Romance" in honor of the late Tony Scott, I succumbed to the influence of my favorite libation (Jameson on the rocks) and ordered 3 giant peanut butter and caramelized banana cookies with a scoop of chocolate ice cream.  I only ate 1 and 2/3 of the cookies but I devoured all of the ice cream.  I was rewarded the next morning with a crippling stomach ache and absolutely no appetite for breakfast.

Monday, September 3rd

10:15am - Since my inebriated dining decisions of the night before were currently wreaking havoc on my digestive system, I decided to forgo the complimentary breakfast and opted for lighter fare.  We found a smoothie and juice bar called Food 4 Fitness.  I ordered a smoothie called "The Greenland": coconut water, mint, coconut oil, chia seeds, hemp seeds, spirulina, pineapple, mango and banana.  It was exactly what I needed.

1:30pm - Fearing that this may be my last opportunity for Texas barbecue before heading back to the West coast, we grabbed lunch at Lambert's Downtown Barbecue.

We called ahead and made a reservation about an hour before showing up and we were seated right away.  The place was spacious and relaxed and the waitstaff was wonderful.  I started off with a Yucatan Burro cocktail: Wahaka Mezcal, Tenneyson Absinthe, Pineapple, Lime, Cointreau, Ginger Beer.  For our entrees, my mom and I both ordered the Two-Meat BBQ Lunch Plate with different sides and meats so we could try a little bit of everything.  I ordered the pork ribs and chicken with sides of carrot and jicama slaw and spiced waffle fries.  The barbecue was solid, but not spectacular, the tastiest meat being the Jalapeno hot link.

11pm - Having overdone it a bit at lunch, I wasn't hungry for dinner until quite late (luckily I was out fairly late so I didn't go to sleep right after eating a big meal - never a good idea).  After enjoying a Jameson Gold at The Highball, a fantastic vintage bowling alley and live music venue, I knew I should eat something so as not to become overwhelmed by the alcohol.  Since my partner in crime this evening was an Austin local who was intrigued by the notion of a hearty 24-hour restaurant, I was happy to return to 24 Diner.  I had a perfectly delicious, light and flavorful Pork Belly Salad with spinach, radicchio, green beans, new potatoes, cherry tomatoes, and an herb-lime chili vinaigrette.

Tuesday, September 4th

9:30am - After a late night out, I crawled out of bed at 9am and sleepily scarfed down a plate of complimentary breakfast my mom brought up to the room: a gluten-free pancake, bacon and grapes.

1:30pm - We once again traveled the 2.5 hours back to Houston and once again, we arrived at our destination completely famished.  We headed to one of our favorite restaurants, Pappasito's.  My mom and I decided to share the "Pappasito's Grill": Grilled skewer of steak, chicken and shrimp, served over grilled onions and pineapple pico de gallo.  I left the tortillas, beans and rice untouched but I did have quite a few corn tortilla chips with salsa.

7:30pm - Stuck with the bland choices available in the airport, bummed to be leaving Texas and my mom, and frustrated by the increasingly delayed flight, I guiltily snacked on Doritos Cooler Ranch chips and an Izze Blackberry Soda.  I arrived at LAX a little after midnight and thus ended my Texas adventure.

Chicken Tikka Masala

 The spice of life

I spent most of my life refusing to eat vegetables (or anything unfamiliar, for that matter).  I first tried Indian food about 2 years ago, thanks to my good friend Jeremy.  He’s what I would call an “adventurous eater”; always excited to try new and exotic cuisines.  When he heard that I was staunchly anti-vegetable, the first place he took me to was an Indian restaurant.  I’ve come a long way since warily biting into my first veggie-filled samosa.  Indian food is now one of my favorite ethnic cuisines to cook in the kitchen, often providing great one-dish meals full of meat and veggies.  I found it at - where else? - Marks Sisson's awesometastic blog.  This recipe is a bit time-consuming, but the end result is well worth the effort.  It yields about 8-10 servings.  This dish goes great with Cauliflower Sticky Rice.

Special Equipment needed:

13x9 baking dish

aluminum foil

extremely large pan with high sides (big enough to fit all sauce and chicken ingredients)*

microplane grater

*my largest pan actually couldn't fit the sauce AND the chicken, so I used a stock pot when it came time to combine the two

Ingredients for Chicken:

2 tbsp olive oil

1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

1 tbsp lemon juice

4 tbsp garlic, minced

4 tbsp fresh ginger, grated (best achieved with a microplane grater)

small pinch of cayenne pepper

generous pinch of salt

1 tbsp cinnamon

1 tbsp chili powder

2 tbsp turmeric (tends to stain cookware)

1 tbsp black pepper

1 can coconut milk

6-8 boneless, skinless free-range chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces

Instruction for Chicken:

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF

2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except chicken and coconut milk.  Stir, add coconut milk, then stir again. 
3. Evenly distribute the chicken pieces in a 13x9 baking dish, then cover with coconut milk mixture.  Stir with a spoon to make sure all chicken pieces get coated in coconut milk.  
4. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour.

5. While your chicken is baking, make the sauce.

Ingredients for Tomato Sauce:

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tbsp coconut oil

2 yellow onions, thinly sliced

6 oz. tomato paste (or less if you're not big on tomatoes)

1 can coconut milk

28oz. can crushed tomatoes

1 tbsp lemon juice

3 tbsp garlic, minced

1/2 cup water

2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp garam masala*

1/2 tsp turmeric

*available at any Indian market or ethnic food aisle in your local supermarket

Instructions for Tomato Sauce:
1. Heat olive and coconut oil in a large pan with high sides over medium heat.  Add the onions and saute until golden brown (at least 10 minutes).
2. Add remaining ingredients, stir, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring often.
3. When the chicken is done baking, add it to the sauce and simmer for another 20 minutes.  If your pan cannot fit both the sauce and chicken, just dump them both into a small stockpot over medium-low heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring constantly.

Yum

This makes A LOT so if you're not cooking for a big group, make sure to freeze some of it for later.  I usually portion out single servings into small ziploc freezer bags.  Enjoy!

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.

Roasted Chicken with Herb Butter

I love this recipe for so many reasons.  One - it's quick (relative to the time it takes to make some of my other "epic mealtime" recipes).  Two - Ohmygoditsdelicious.  I think that's really all the reasons you need.  I originally found this recipe on Paleo Comfort Foods.  The only special equipment you'll need is a large oven-proof skillet (big enough to fit a butterflied whole chicken, skin-side down).  The best part is, of course, the skin.  The herbs in the butter help crisp up the skin and infuse it with all their amazing flavors.  I'd say the whole process - prep and cook time - takes about an hour.  I served this with some of my favorite Spinach and Strawberry Salad but it will go great with just about any veggie you can think of.

Look at that awesomely crispy, golden brown skin

Special Equipment:
12 inch (stainless steel) oven-proof skillet

Ingredients:
1 3-4 lb. chicken, butterflied* (I had the butcher butterfly it for me since I don't own kitchen shears)
1/4 cup basil, finely chopped
1 tbsp rosemary, finely chopped
3/4 cup scallions
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 tbsp clarified butter/ghee, softened
2 tbsp coconut oil
2 tsp salt

*to "butterfly" a chicken means to remove the spine entirely

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Combine basil, rosemary, scallions, garlic, salt and butter (set aside 1-2 tbsp for serving).
3. Loosen the skin of the chicken by running your finger between the skin and the meat.  Score* the legs and thighs with a knife.
4. Put 1 tbsp. of herb butter under the skin of each chicken breast.
5. Add the coconut oil to an oven-proof skillet on medium heat. Add the chicken (skin-side down).  Cook for 8-10 minutes.
6. Move the skillet directly to the oven for 25 minutes.  Flip the chicken over and coat with the rest of the herb butter (not the 2 tbsp for serving).
7. Cook in the oven for 15-20 minutes more or until the breasts reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees and the thighs 175 degrees.
8. Rest** the chicken for 10-20 minutes before serving.

*You "score" the meat by making a shallow cut with your knife.  This allows the fat to drain from the meat while cooking.
**Take the chicken off the heat and put a lid on the pan, or tent a large piece of foil over the pan.

This recipe is definitely "Mel-proof" (my version of idiot-proof).  Last night I put the chicken on the stove skin-side down but was convinced that the skin had to be nice and crisp BEFORE going in the oven.  So I left it on the stove for about 20 minutes instead of 10 and proceeded to flip the chicken over and cover it with the rest of the herb butter before I realized that I had skipped a step.  I removed the newly-added herb butter, flipped the chicken back onto it's skin-side and put the pan in the oven, trying to forget the mistake ever happened.  The chicken still cooked up perfectly.  The only disappointment was that my premature flipping of the bird (hehe) made a mess of the skin, ruining the crispiness of it.  The skin still tasted delicious, as did the rest of the chicken.  It was still perfectly moist and flavorful so I really have no complaints about the whole episode.  Oh, and I forgot to score the legs and thighs.

:P

Eggplant Lasagna

I have to admit, this is one of my more-involved recipes - but the flavors are fantastic and complex and totally worth every minute you spend making it.  It's got some surprising spice choices and is a great way to get your purple veggie quota.  The original recipe is from Cavemen Gourmet, who is lactose-tolerant Paleo (i.e. the recipe has lots of cheese - 14 ounces of it).  My body does not respond well to dairy, so I only add about 2 ounces of cheese for the 'faux bechamel' and omit the rest.  I have also made a version without any cheese at all and it is equally delicious.

The special piece of equipment you will need is a mandoline slicer.  I used a cheap one for this recipe since eggplant is fairly soft and easy to slice.  I made a recipe last night that required sliced sweet potatoes and the mandoline I have did not stand a chance against the mighty starch of the sweet potato.  I am currently perusing Amazon to upgrade my mandoline slicer - although I am now realizing that if I want a serious mandoline, I'm going to need a protective glove to keep myself from getting seriously injured (Did I mention that I'm a klutz and prone to injury?  Cuz I am.)

Anyways...

Equipment needed:
mandoline slicer
large, deep skillet
small skillet
13x9 baking dish
lots of paper towels

Ingredients:
3 eggplants, peeled and cut lengthwise into 1/4 inch thick slices
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
1 1/2 lbs. grass-fed ground beef
2 onions, chopped
1 tbsp. minced garlic
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
1/2 tbsp. dried parsley
(1) 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1/2 cup red wine
1 egg, beaten
your favorite cooking oil (olive oil, coconut oil, clarified butter, beef tallow, etc.)
salt and pepper

Faux Bechamel (optional):
2 ounces grated parmesan cheese
1 egg, beaten
4 tbsp. clarified butter
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Slice your eggplant lengthwise into 1/4 inch slices using a sharp knife and a steady hand or a mandoline.  Lay the eggplant slices on paper towels and lightly salt them to help draw out the moisture.  This is called "sweating" and is a key step in any eggplant recipe.  Let sit for 20 minutes.
3. In a large skillet over medium high heat, add a tablespoon of olive oil and cook the eggplant for 3-5 minutes per side, until lightly browned.  Do this in batches so as not to crowd the pan and remember to add more olive oil to the pan as needed.  Set the cooked slices on clean paper towels to drain them of excess oil.
4. Give the skillet a quick rinse to remove bits of eggplant and return to the stove.  Heat skillet over high heat, add a tablespoon of olive oil, then the ground beef, onions, garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper.  Brown the beef, then add cinnamon, nutmeg and dried herbs.  Mix in the wine and tomato sauce.  Simmer on low heat for 20 minutes.
5. While the beef is simmering, in a small skillet over medium heat, saute the mushrooms in a little bit of cooking oil for about 10 minutes, stirring often.  Set aside.
6. Once the beef is done, set aside to cool for about 10 minutes.  Mix in a beaten egg.
7. Grease your 13x9 baking dish and place a layer of eggplant slices on the bottom of the pan.
8.  Spoon a layer of the beef mixture over the eggplant, spreading evenly.  Add some of the sautéed mushrooms.  Do one more layer of each, with mushrooms being the top layer.  It is very possible that you will have some eggplant slices left over, depending on the size of your eggplants.
9.  If you are making the faux bechamel, melt 4 tablespoons of clarified butter in the microwave, then add the cheese, nutmeg and beaten egg.  Spoon the mixture over the top of the lasagna, spreading as evenly as possible (the bechamel wasn't easily spreadable because of the coarseness of the cheese but that same characteristic resulted in a deliciously crunchy crust once the lasagna was cooked).
10.  Bake for 60-70 minutes.  Allow to cool for 15 minutes so that the lasagna has time to set.

Happy nomming!