j. rose allister: Paleo

Showing posts with label Paleo. Show all posts

Tuesday, May 10, 2016

Grilled Fish a'la Midsummer Magic

It's Too Yummy Tuesday!

On select Tuesdays I share delicious recipes either inspired by my books or that are just plain delicious!

Summer is coming, and to further drive that point home, I've spent the past month working on my next Sons of Herne book, Magic of Midsummer. (See series trailer below, and click HERE to read about Magic of Midsummer--I'm excited about this tale! It's coming out in the next couple of weeks.)

In the story, the sea god/shifter Devinmar rescues a beautiful woman from drowning...and for supper on the beach, they cook fresh-caught fish over an open fire. That scene got me hankering for some nice grilled fish steaks for the new bbq my husband's getting for our anniversary this week (shh!), so I went out on the Internet in search of a recipe.

Halibut is one of my favorite fish, but I imagine you could substitute just about any in this dish. Adjust the cooking time based on the thickness and density of your steaks--obviously, a rich salmon would take more time than a delicate whitefish.

This recipe came from AllRecipes.com, with just a couple changes by Yours Truly. It's Paleo/Whole Foods/Gluten-Free friendly for those who are watching out for that stuff. If you want to see the original, here's the link: Grilled Fish Steaks

Grilled Fish Steaks

Ingredients

For the dry mix:
2 cloves garlic, minced
12 Tbsp coconut oil (or your preferred cooking variety...I love the flavor this adds)
2 tsp salt
2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
4 halibut steaks (6 oz each)

Directions

Combine ingredients (except fish) in a bowl. Place halibut in a shallow glass dish or resealable plastic bag, and pour the marinade over. Cover/seal and refrigerate for 1 hour, turning occasionally. Preheat grill to high heat and lightly oil grate. Set grate 4 inches from the heat. Remove halibut from marinade and drain off excess. Grill 5 minutes per side (depending on size of your steaks) or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

If you have trouble grilling fish without it breaking apart through the grate, there are special pans you can buy, OR lay a layer of oiled aluminum foil down first. This won't get you those lovely grill marks, but your fish will stay on top of the grill.

Serves 4.

Enjoy!

For those who haven't seen it, here's the trailer for my Sons of Herne series:

~~~

J. Rose Allister is the author of more than twenty-five books, primarily romance and erotic romance. A former editor and submissions director, she now works as a mild-mannered hospital secretary by day, naughty writer by night. Connect with her on Twitter or Goodreads. She loves talking to people!

Tuesday, March 8, 2016

No-Grain Faux Oatmeal

J 12:00 AM 0 Comments

It's Too Yummy Tuesday!

On select Tuesdays I share delicious recipes either inspired by my books or that are just plain delicious!

I realized some time ago that I'm sensitive to gluten, and when I'm behaving myself I try to avoid cereals. But I love my Malt-o-Meal, Cream of Wheat, and oatmeal! They're just so yummy and satisfying. Recently I saw a recipe on Pinterest for a sort of Paleo oatmeal, and I started playing around with ratios and ingredients to come up with my own version that's like the above cereals combined.

This "faux" hot cereal is great because I love the flavor and texture but even more, I love how quick and easy it is to prepare. I'm famous for wanting no-fuss breakfasts, aka tearing open a packet of oatmeal, dumping water on it, and tossing it in the microwave. This is just about as easy once you've made the super-simple dry mix to keep on hand.

No-Grain Faux "Oatmeal"

Ingredients

For the dry mix:
1 cup almond meal (I prefer the texture of meal, but you can use almond flour)
1 cup of coconut flour (you can use unsweetened, shredded coconut if you want a chewier bite, but this gives more of a cream of wheat texture)
1 Tbsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon

Combine these in a sealed container and shake well.

For a single serving of cereal:
1/2 - 1 banana (depending on size and your sweet tooth. 1 giant banana might be too much)
1/4 cup of your dry mix
1/3 - 1/2 cup milk
Optional: a handful of dried fruit, a pat of butter

Directions

Mash banana in the bottom of a microwave-safe bowl. Add dry mix and pour on the milk; stir together. Microwave for about 1 minute until it gets a bit bubbly. If it's too thin, cook a bit longer. If it's too thick, thin with additional milk. Stir in optional items if desired.

Enjoy!

~~~

# Paleo # Post

Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Crockpot Spaghetti Squash

J 12:00 AM 0 Comments

It's Too Yummy Tuesday!

On select Tuesdays I share delicious recipes either inspired by my books or that are just plain delicious!

One of my favorite tools in the kitchen is my crockpot. Year round, I use it to make soups, chili, pulled pork, chicken, and I've even made chocolate cake! Fall is a prime time for me to bust this baby out and start making some super easy, delicious meals, especially since squash is so plentiful in the market right now and I discovered what must be the simplest way on earth to prepare spaghetti squash. No boiling, baking, fuss, or muss...just cut a squash in half (the quick way-through the middle) and pop it in the crockpot into some sauce. That's it!

If you can't bring yourself to whip up the awesome sauce from scratch, two jars of spaghetti sauce will do the trick. But honestly, I love the rich, hearty flavor of the homemade version below--and it's so easy there's little reason not to give it a try.

Crockpot Spaghetti Squash

Ingredients

1 small onion, diced
4 oz mushrooms, sliced (optional)
Olive or other oil for sauteeing
1 lb ground beef
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2 28-oz cans San Marzano tomatoes, chopped
1/2 tsp cumin
1 Tbsp sugar (honey or maple syrup works if you're avoiding table sugar)
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning or to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
Crushed red pepper flakes to taste (optional)
Parmesan cheese to heart's content (optional)
1 spaghetti squash, washed and cut in half across middle (so you have one piece with the stem end and another piece with a blossom end)

Directions

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and saute onions until soft. Add mushrooms and saute until browned. Add ground beef and stir, breaking up until cooked. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds more. Add tomato, cumin, sugar, Italian seasoning, salt/pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Stir everything through and bring to barely a simmer. If you're using Parmesan, stir in about 1/2 cup at this point.

Pour sauce mixture into a crockpot. Scoop seeds out of spaghetti squash halves and discard (or save for other uses). Place halves, cut sides down, into sauce mixture. Cover crockpot and cook on low for approximately 6 hrs, or on high approximately 3-4 hours or until squash is soft and strands separate easily with fork but are no longer "crunchy". (Unless you prefer it that way. I like mine just a bit "al dente".) Shred squash strand into bowls and top with ladles of sauce.

Serves 3-4

Enjoy!

~~~

# Paleo # Post

Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Simply Scrumptious Sauteed Beets

J 12:00 AM 0 Comments

It's Too Yummy Tuesday!

On select Tuesdays I share delicious recipes either inspired by my books or that are just plain delicious!

The past couple of weeks I've posted recipes involving several steps and quite a few ingredients, not to mention more sugar than I normally eat these days. So today I thought I'd change things up with something quick, easy, and so good!

As part of my personal challenge to eat healthier, I've been exploring vegetables I'd either never eaten or hated as a kid and never tried again. The honey-sriracha brussels sprouts I posted a few weeks back was one such experiment, and today's is another. I'm officially a veggie convert!

If you've been shying away from beets, they are nutritious and have heart-healthy antioxidants and cholesterol-lowering properties--so give them a try! This recipe may help change your mind about them. The cooking does involve two steps--first boiling til tender, then into a skillet for some sauteed deliciousness--but that small extra effort is well worth it. With just a few simple ingredients, the beet flavor is delicate and shines nicely. Don't skip out on using the beet tops! I was highly skeptical about doing it, but I found I almost enjoyed the flavor of the greens more than the beets themselves. Quite nice.

Simply Scrumptious Sauteed Beets

Ingredients

1 lb beets with top greens
Boiling water
Small amount of oil for sauteeing (I love coconut oil for this, but olive oil is great too)
Salt to taste
A sprinkling of garlic powder (optional)

Directions

Wash beets and cut off greens; reserve. Cut into quarters (no need to peel yet) and place in boiling water. Boil gently for about 20 minutes until fork tender. While boiling, chop greens and set aside. Drain beets and (carefully) remove peels. They will come off easily!

Heat a medium skillet with a small amount of oil until hot. Sautee beets for 1 minute, then add greens. Salt to taste and add garlic powder, if using. Sautee until greens are wilted.

Serves 2-4 (or just me, as I'm happy to chow down on this for dinner, then lunch the next day!)

Enjoy!

~~~

# Paleo # Post

Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Honey Sriracha Brussels Sprouts

J 12:00 AM 0 Comments

It's Too Yummy Tuesday!

On select Tuesdays I share delicious recipes either inspired by my books or that are just plain delicious!

I was so excited about this recipe that I had to share it today on both of my blogs. I recently discovered the absolute, mouth-watering heaven that is honey sriracha brussels sprouts at a restaurant that served it as an appetizer. I'm not a huge fan of brussels sprouts, but my husband is and it sounded intriguing. So we ordered a serving and WOW. So unbelievably divine. The leaves are fried until caramelized with a hint of crunch, adding a delicious flavor that is hard to describe but definitely takes out much of the brussels-sprout-ness. And then the sweet-spicy kick from the sauce grabs you and tosses you right on the floor. Oh my! The best dish I'd tried in quite a while, so I decided I just HAD to try and create a knockoff version at home. It was very close, my friends. Very close indeed.

Honey Sriracha Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients

1 lb brussels sprouts

Coconut oil for frying (You can use another oil of your choice, but I highly recommend the coconut oil)

2 Tbsp honey

1 Tbsp sriracha sauce (or more/less to taste)

1 Tbsp mayonnaise OR Thousand Island Dressing (Paleo folks can use homemade or skip entirely)

1 good squirt of lemon or lime juice

Salt to taste

Heavenly! Honey Sriracha Brussels Sprouts

Directions

Cut off the stem ends of the brussels sprouts and peel off leaves, placing them in a medium-sized bowl. When you've peeled as many as you can off of a sprout, cut the heart into 2-3 pieces and add to the bowl. Heat a decent layer of oil in a small, heavy pot or skillet until hot--if a test leaf starts sizzling right away when it hits the pan, it's hot enough. Again, I really recommend the coconut oil if you have it--this adds a slight sweetness to offset the spicy sriracha and occasional mild bitter element in the brussels sprouts. Peanut oil might be worth investigating too.

While oil is heating, whisk together the honey, sriracha, mayo/dressing, and lemon/lime juice in a small bowl until well combined. Set aside. Fry brussels sprouts in hot oil in SMALL batches, like a single handful at a time. (Don't crowd the pan or the leaves will steam, not caramelize.) Be careful! They will spatter like crazy. Use a lid or spatter screen and lean away from the pan so you don't get popped by hot oil. If you use a lid, however, really check this frequently. Fry until many of the leaves are browned and caramelized--and with a properly heated pan, a batch should only take 30 seconds to maybe 1 1/2 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon to paper towels to drain why frying remaining batches. When done, sprinkle with salt to taste and return to medium bowl. Start with a couple Tbsp of sauce at a time and toss gently. Add more to taste as needed (though too much will overpower the delicious fry on the leaves). Serve immediately.

Serves 2-4 as an appetizer or a small side dish/garnish.

Enjoy!

~~~

# Paleo # Post

Tuesday, May 10, 2016

Grilled Fish a'la Midsummer Magic

Tuesday, March 8, 2016

No-Grain Faux Oatmeal

Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Crockpot Spaghetti Squash

Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Simply Scrumptious Sauteed Beets

Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Honey Sriracha Brussels Sprouts

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