primal Archives - dani california cooks

Sweet Potato Crust Frittata (paleo)

February 25, 2016 by Dani 20 Comments

This recipe was invented when we were looking for ways to bring egg-based breakfasts on-the-go that were not hardboiled eggs. I bring to you the make-ahead and re-heat- friendly layered vegetable and sweet potato frittata!

At work last month, I was leading a training and the ice breaker question to the group was “what would be one thing you would bring to a deserted island?” Everyone’s answers were things like “a cell phone” or “a boat to take me off the island”.

My answer?

“A chicken that could lay eggs”.

I honestly didn’t think about anything NON food related. I just assumed I would be stuck on a deserted island for the rest of my life and the one food I would want to keep eating would be eggs. I just. love. eggs!

That’s been one thing about the Whole30 that really is no different than my day to day - I’ve been happily enjoying eggs every day. But to be honest, there are some days when I’m on-the-go and don’t have time to make eggs or grab eggs from the hotel restaurant if I’m traveling. On those days I usually prep oatmeal to go or grab a bar/fruit. Aaaand that’s not possible on the Whole30.

I tried making chia pudding, but I found it didn’t have the staying power that eggs have for me. So this past weekend, when I knew that both Nate and I would go straight from waking up-gym-office, I wanted to experiment with re-heatable and to-go egg dishes. We all know that there is nothing worse than scrambled eggs reheated in the microwave.

This breakfast is a fantastic combination of complex carbs (sweet potatoes), protein (eggs + meat), healthy fats (olive oil + eggs) and tons of vegetables. I happily enjoyed this with a side of fruit after zapping in the microwave in the office, and just shook my head that I didn’t think of this one earlier in the Whole30!

5.0 from 1 reviews

Sweet Potato Crust Frittata

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

30 mins

This paleo frittata has a sweet potato crust topped with eggs, ham, and plenty of vegetables. It's a Whole30 approved way to start the day!

Author: Dani California Cooks

Serves: 4 servings

Ingredients

6 eggs
¾ cups chopped no sugar added ham or salt pork or canadian bacon
2 big handfuls fresh baby spinach
1 medium sweet potato, grated or shredded in the food processor
¼ white onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 cup sliced mushrooms
2 tbsp julienned sun-dried tomatoes
Cooking oil (avocado, olive, or ghee)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
In a large pan, heat your oil and add the meat. After a minute, add the spinach, peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes and cook for several minutes. Transfer to a mixing bowl
In the same pan, add a little more oil and then add the onions and the sweet potatoes. Cook for 2-3 minutes, and then transfer to an 8x8 baking dish. Press to form a crust on the bottom of the pan
Crack the eggs into the bowl with the vegetables, and whisk thoroughly. Add salt and pepper
Pour on top of the sweet potato crust and bake for 15 mins
Remove, and let sit so the eggs will puff down
Let cool, and then cut into squares to put into tupperware for the day

If you like this, you’ll love: Green Eggs (No Ham)

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Kale Salmon Nicoise (paleo)

July 30, 2015 by Dani 34 Comments

As if the classic nicoise salad could really be improved upon, this superfood twist uses salmon and kale!

So apologies for not posting on Wednesday - although I’m sure most of you didn’t really notice and/or care! I really just didn’t have any blogging inspiration, so I just decided to forego it this week. Normally I would have shown a WIAW on Wednesday, but Monday’s and Tuesday’s eats was a lot of me just picking the M&M’s out of the gigantic trail mix box we had in our office. Not a photogenic situation worth capturing, I can promise you that!

But this salad sure is. When I studied abroad in Paris in college, I spent a lot more time eating pain au raisins and the hot chocolate from Angelina’s, but I really should have eaten more nicoise salads ~~because I gained 15 lbs~~ because they are so tasty! Except the strikethrough was actually very, very true. Add the pictures from my final months in Paris into the same category of the hands-in-the-trailmix-bucket of Monday/Tuesday. They’ve definitely been deleted.

Nicoise salads are composed French salads of a lot of little things - lots of different flavors, textures, and it’s actually an enjoyable salad eating experience. They are perfect for a long French-style lunch, because you can take a while to eat all of the bits and pieces that make up this salad!

This version maintains lots of the classic Nicoise flavors - blanched green beans and potatoes, olives, a hard boiled egg, a red wine vinaigrette. But instead of olive oil-packed tuna, it’s a flaked filet of cooked salmon. And instead of mixed greens, it’s kale! Too many delicious superfoods - you can’t go wrong.

Many of the ingredients you have in your kitchen already. I know when I was putting together this recipe in my mind, I realized that I only had to run to the grocery store for the shallot (which could be easily replaced with a finely chopped onion!) I hope you enjoy this kale and salmon twist on the classic Nicoise salad as much as we did.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Kale Salmon Nicoise

As if the classic nicoise salad could really be improved upon, this superfood twist uses salmon and kale! Based off of the Food Network's recipe.

Author: Dani California Cooks

Serves: 2 servings

Ingredients

4 cups thinly sliced lacinato kale
2 hard boiled eggs, cut in half
4 tbsp whole olives (I used kalamata, but the classic nicoise olives could of course be used)
Dozen green beans
2 small filet of cooked salmon, flaked
½ cup cherry tomatoes
1 medium sized red potato, cut into pieces
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp dijon mustard
Quarter of a shallot, minced
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper

Instructions

Bring a medium pot of water to boil to blanch the green beans and potatoes. The green beans will take only two minutes or so, while the potatoes will be about five minutes. I boiled them all together to save water/pans. Remove and set aside
In a small bowl, whisk the chopped shallot, vinegar, mustard, and olive oil
In a medium bowl, place the kale and pour over the dressing. Toss until well combined, and "massage" the kale a bit to relax it
On two plates, distribute the kale evenly
Place half the green beans and half the potatoes on each plate
Place 2 halves of hard boiled egg on each plate
Place half of the flaked salmon on each plate
Divide olives across each plate
Finish off with a little salt and pepper, and serve with a lemon wedge!

If you like this, you’ll love: Roasted Corn, Feta, and Basil Salad

Sunday Set Ups: Paleo Creamy Broccoli Soup

January 25, 2015 by Dani 2 Comments

Surprise! This creamy broccoli soup contains no cream or coconut milk whatsoever. Tossing in one potato or a parsnip to your puree brings the layer of creaminess to this vegetable-packed soup. Include this warming dish alongside any lunch or dinner throughout the week!

You know those recipes that are SO simple to make but taste really wonderful and are so pleasing to whoever you serve it to? It’s almost embarrassing, when they compliment the dish, you go, “oh, no, really I did nothing, emphasize on the nothing”. I bet the person who discovered the PB&J, throughout his/her life, felt awkward about their claim to fame. But they shouldn’t. Because it’s GENIUS. That’s how I feel about this (Paleo) Creamy Broccoli Soup.

It’s also one of my favorite things to make in bulk on Sunday evening and have throughout the week. I’ve often packed my own lunches and brought them to work, and then am completely unimpressed with what I made and then resort to running out and buying food. However, that never happens with soup! It’s wonderful to look forward do something WARM at my desk for lunch after zapping it in the microwave. It’s a great addition to a salad or sandwich. It pairs well with pretty much all dinner cuisines as well, whether you whip up some quesadillas or pasta or roast a chicken. It’s nice to have something that you can reheat on your stove while you pop in the shower after your evening workout. My mom and I ate this twice last weekend, and then when I left to travel for the work that week she had it every night with her dinner. Boom.

I’ve made broccoli soup a couple of times and pretty much just pureed broccoli in stock. This time I decided to add a potato (or in my case, a leftover parsnip) cut the broccoli flavor and texture just a bit and add an additional layer of creaminess to the soup. I love that this is one creamy pureed soup that isn’t made fully with a starch OR dairy – there are so many of those out there already. Broth-based soups are a great way to fill yourself up and add volume to your meal without overdoing it. Although I certainly recommend having this soup with some protein or grains for a balanced meal!

On a different note, this was the second time I introduced my mother to the immersion blender. There are a few things that I’ve turned my mother onto recently that I feel particularly accomplished about – gel nails, for one. No one realizes how much an immersion blender is going to change their life until they get one. It reduces the hassle of making purees, soups, sauces, etc, by an incredible amount! It’s so easy to clean (unlike a blender) and you don’t have to transfer the recipe into a blender – you just stick that immersion blender right in your pot. And they go for about $10 on amazon. I know people who make smoothies in a large mason jar using an immersion blender. Almost as genius as the PB&J, no?

This recipe takes only a couple of ingredients, and you will have delicious soup all week. Sweat out your onions and garlic slowly in a little butter or olive oil (important step before ANY pureed soup. Gives it complex flavor so no need to any cream). Then add the chopped broccoli, potato/parsnip, stock, water, and bring to a boil. Let simmer until the veggies fall apart at the poke of fork. Take off the heat, puree, and add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside to allow to thicken for a bit, and then serve! You can store in your fridge for up to a week and reheat on the stove or in the microwave as needed.

I highly recommend serving Turkish-style (meaning with a squeeze of lemon) and Dani California Cooks style (with lots of hot sauce).

Paleo Creamy Broccoli Soup

Go back to the basics with this pureed broccoli soup. Adding a little potato or parsnip brings the perfect amount of thickness and creaminess to the soup to balance out the broccoli!

Author: Dani California Cooks

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

6 cups broccoli, roughly chopped (about three medium heads)
2 cups peeled white potato or parsnip, roughly chopped
½ onion, diced
1 glove garlic, minced
1 tbsp butter
48oz vegetable stock
4 cups water
Salt and pepper
Hot sauce (optional)
Lemon (optional)

Instructions

In a large soup pot on low to medium heat, sweat out your garlic and onion in the butter with some salt and pepper
Once the onions are translucent (about 5-7 minutes), add in the broccoli, parsnip/potato, water, and stock
Bring to a boil
Turn down to low heat and let simmer for a minimum of thirty minutes
Once vegetables fall apart at the touch of a fork, turn off the heat
Use an immersion blender to blend your soup to the consistency of choice OR pour into a regular blender to puree
Taste and add salt and pepper to your liking
Let sit for 10 minutes before serving to thicken up
Garnish with more salt and pepper, hot sauce, and a squeeze of lemon
Enjoy!

Notes

This soup will last all week in your fridge! And like any soup/curry/stew - it just gets better with a little age.

Paleo Creamy Broccoli Soup | danicaliforniacooks.com

Paleo Almond Joy Thumbprint Cookies

December 16, 2014 by Dani 2 Comments

These Almond Joy inspired grain-free treats are almost too cute to eat, but you can’t say no to chocolate and coconut!

So I wrote a whole post and then it deleted itself…so I snacked on a couple of these instead and started over. I think most of the writing was just me rambling on about how much I love chocolate and coconut. Blah blah chocolate on its own, coconut on its own, chocolate and coconut together - probably for the best that it’s lost in cyberspace. We had a bunch of Almond Joys around after Halloween, and after scarfing most of them I realized that I could probably create my own treat with similar flavors, just no processed sugars. Also, do you know how hard it is to type thumbprint?! I must have used three variations of that word throughout this post. Thumpbrint sounds like the next big dance move. Anyways, I feel like my eating has been quite decadent recently with lots of holiday parties and birthday soirees so I needed to make something to satisfy a sweet tooth and bring me back on track.

The basic paleo cookie dough batter is really simple, and I think that’s why I often gravitate towards paleo baking when I want to whip up something sweet and healthy. I like that I usually have the ingredients that I need on-hand already, and then I can step up the recipe with any other items that I may have in my pantry at that moment. Like for example, my Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies with Dried Cherries. I think (I know) the dried cherries were an afterthought. But back to the dough - all it is is almond flour, eggs, baking powder, coconut oil and maple syrup. I usually add some cinnamon for warmth, and this time, I added a ton of shredded coconut.

I think these look particularly festive, and you can even change up what you place in the thumbprint spot to have a variety of cookies. Any types of jam would work great here, or if you wanted to melt different kinds of chocolate and filling these up before letting them set. I even thought about sprinkling additional coconut on top of the dark chocolate, for a “snow effect”. Unfortunately, my dark chocolate didn’t melt well. I used Lily’s brand of dark chocolate, which are sweetened with Stevia. Either I messed up the double boiling process (definitely possible) or this chocolate doesn’t melt well. Didn’t matter, because these still tasted delicious.

You can let these beauties set in the fridge, but since the chocolate melted so funky I just let them stay on the counter and they hardened up very fast. We enjoyed these on my birthday, the day after Osteria Mozza’s decadent meal for a lighter dessert option. Although it’s hard to have just one!

Paleo Almond Joy Thumbprint Cookies

Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

35 mins

Enjoy this paleo cookie twist on your favorite Almond Joy classic.

Author: Dani California Cooks

Serves: 14 cookies

Ingredients

2 cups almond flour
¼ cup coconut oil
1 egg
3 tbsp maple syrup
2 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
½ tsp baking soda
¼ cup shredded unsweetened coconut
1 bag of chocolate chips (use Enjoy Life or similar brand if strict paleo)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Mix all your ingredients but the chocolate in a large mixing bowl
Form dough into little balls on a cookie baking sheet
Press your thumbs down into each ball to form thumbprints
Bake for 10-12 minutes, depending on the thickness of your cookie. They should look golden brown in the oven!
Double boil your chocolate
When the cookies have cooled, fill each thumbprint with chocolate
Let set and enjoy!

Paradox Farms and Vegan Curried Sweet Potato Soup

December 12, 2014 by Dani 4 Comments

My boyfriend’s wonderful family owns Paradox Farms - an organic vegetable (and egg) farm right outside Lexington, VA. It has quickly become one of my favorite places in the world! Beyond just being some of the prettiest land, the farm also grows the most delicious and fresh produce. And their eggs put store-bought eggs to SHAME. Whenever I go to the farm, I truly feel healthier and better after being put to work (look at me collecting chicken eggs above!) and getting to eat all of their leftover produce. Over the last year I have become much more passionate and an advocate of purchasing and buying local, and there’s nothing more hyperlocal than growing and eating your own food. Nate’s parents set amazing examples for this lifestyle!

Collecting produce with Mitch!

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Love that view

Collecting dinner

So I was thrilled when I returned home from Cambodia and Nate’s family had sent me a box of goodies from Paradox Farms! It included a bunch of large sweet potatoes, some garlic, and some homemade jams and apple butter. (ZOMG - their apple butter. I went through the entire jar in a week just putting it on toast!) I knew I needed to create a recipe that was inspired by these ingredients and was wholesome and warming, just like the farm itself. Here’s introducing this Vegan Curried Sweet Potato Soup. Made with a small amount of coconut milk, this recipe is gluten free, paleo friendly and vegan!

I have to say, I wasn’t expecting to receive produce in my birthday box. And these photos don’t really do them justice, but these were some massive sweet potatoes. As I was photographing them, I noticed that these veggies had a little personality and I decided to play with my food a bit…

But, on to the recipe. This one starts like any simple pureed soup - chop and roast your veggies for extra flavor. Look at the color of those potatoes!

Next step is to sweat out your onions in just a little butter. It’s a known fact that you don’t need to add cream to your pureed soups if you just add a little butter to your onions and let them cook very slowly at the beginning. I promise you, the flavor will be amazing with just this one little extra step! I chopped up some Paradox Farm garlic and included it in with the onions. Then you add the sweet potatoes, ginger, and vegetable stock. Let simmer until vegetables are even more tender.

Then, puree using a food processor, blender or immersion blender! I used a food processor, and kept the soup chunky. I hate that word - chunky - but there is no other way to describe it. It was my first (!!) time using a food processor and I have to say, not as intuitive as a blender or immersion blender! Definitely a kitchen tool I want to get used to using. I have big plans for homemade granola bars and hummus. Your last step is to stir in a half cup of light coconut milk and a tablespoon or two of curry powder, depending on how much intense curry flavor you want. Then your soup is done! This dish is comforting, warming, and the fact that my produce came from Paradox Farm made it all the more special. Looking forward to making this all winter!

5.0 from 2 reviews

Paradox Farms and Vegan Curried Sweet Potato Soup

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

3 hours

Total time

3 hours 15 mins

Roast and puree sweet potatoes with coconut milk, ginger, and curry powder for the most warming and comfortable vegan soup.

Author: Dani California Cooks

Ingredients

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
½ onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 small knob of ginger, finely chopped
Large box of vegetable stock (48oz)
½ cup coconut milk
1-2 tbsp curry powder
Olive oil
Butter
Salt and pepper

Instructions

Set your oven to 350 degrees F
Lay out your chopped and peeled sweet potatoes on a baking dish, and spray with olive oil. Sprinkle on a little salt and pepper and roast for 25-30 minutes
In a large pot on low to medium heat, sweat out your onions until translucent. This should take 10 minutes, so if they are starting to burn, turn the heat down lower. Add garlic halfway through
Add in the finely chopped ginger
Once the sweet potatoes have roasted, add them to the large pot and the vegetable stock
Bring to a boil and then let simmer for 10-15 minutes
Puree/blend to your consistency of choice using a blender, food processor or immersion blender
Add back to pot if using a food processor or immersion blender and let simmer on very low heat
Stir in curry powder and coconut milk
Let simmer until ready to serve (I recommend 1-2 hours)

Tuna Salad Swiss Chard Wraps

December 9, 2014 by Dani 4 Comments

Swap a tortilla for swiss chard to wrap this fresh tuna salad for your new favorite portable lunch!
It’s no news to the blog world that I love tuna salad. There came a point on my last consulting project that the deli downstairs from our client site would say “the same, miss?” and wouldn’t even need to take my order for a whole-wheat-wrap-tuna-salad-little-mustard-little-red-onion-lots-of-lettuce usual. When I went to NYC to visit one of my best friends, Lauren, she took me to an awesome vegan juice spot where I munched on raw falafel wrapped in collard greens and I knew I had to recreate it at home. Probably not the raw falafel part, but definitely the swapping of the carb for a veggie part!

We all know we should eat more veggies. And it is fun to find new ways to incorporate them into your diet, and I highly recommend any version of a lettuce wrap. The great thing about swiss chard or collard greens is that these huge leaves roll up really well and are easy to pack for lunch. The hearty greens have a much more mild flavor than kale or a mustard greens, and they have a great chewy, crunchy texture that makes an excellent substitute for a wrap. You might not even miss that basic tortilla. I have a go-to tuna salad that I couldn’t wait to share with you all. Mix tuna with chopped red onion, red wine vinegar, a little lemon juice and your mayo of choice - I love Earth Balance Organic Mindful Mayo, made with apple cider vinegar and is vegan. Has a great tang to it. I drove to Whole Foods just to buy this mayo and somehow returned with $70 of groceries - whoops! (My mom read this and was like “yeah, that’s why they call it Whole Paycheck”). I love this tuna salad over mixed greens with walnuts and balsamic dressing on top, or turned into a tuna melt over sprouted grain with some cheddar. You can make the tuna salad on Sunday night and have it on-hand all week. One important part in using collards or swiss chard to roll up into a wrap is to trim down the stem so they are more “bendy” and don’t break. I took a knife and trimmed down the ribs of these leaves, but still left them in-tact. Spread a little mustard on your greens, and lay out your tuna. Put on your toppings of choice - pickles, more red onion, tomato, etc - and roll up. Enjoy right away or save in tupperware for later!
For those who follow a paleo or gluten-free diet, this is an easy way to enjoy sandwiches with the best of them. Enjoy!

Tuna Salad Swiss Chard Wraps

Prep time

10 mins

Total time

10 mins

Wrap up classic tuna salad in swiss chard for a portable paleo sandwich! Double the recipe to make for the entire week.

Author: Dani California Cooks

Serves: 2

Ingredients

2 cans tuna packed in water
½ red onion, chopped
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp mayo (I used Earth Balance Organic)
Squeeze of lemon (optional)
Dijon mustard
Salt
Pepper
2 large swiss chard leaves, ribs trimmed

Instructions

Drain your tuna
Mix your tuna with the red onion
Mash in the mayo and red wine vinegar
Sprinkle on salt and pepper
Squeeze on some lemon (optional)
Wash your swiss chard leaf
Lightly cut off the ribs of the leaf to make it more bendy and easy to roll, but keep the leaf in-tact
Lay our your swiss chard wrap
Spread on a little mustard to your liking
Spoon out half the tuna mixture
Roll up like a burrito and serve!