Yellow Tail + Mango Ginger Salsa

The kids loved it. They especially love always the fresh fish as it has no "fishy taste" which develops as the fish ages.

(The problem with cooking at night is always the same, the pictures don't look so great as there is no day light! Every time I swear I will save some of the food for next day and take photos and almost every time it fails as there are no leftovers... Oh well.) 

Every week my kids and I go to the farmers market around the corner and buy organic vegetables, honey, fruit and pick up our weekly Community Seafood share. Community Seafood is a local community supported fishery in Santa Barbara, California. Their goal is to support the fishing community and sustainable ways of harvesting seafood.

I signed up a few months ago and our family has enjoyed the variety of seafood. I have tasted foods I have never tasted before, and may not have otherwise tasted, and learnt to prepare them too. Some of the new acquaintances have been mussels, oysters, ridge back shrimp and lobster. Some of the fish are new to me too. I grew up eating fish but mostly salmon, herring and some sweet water fish like perch.

This week's share was yellow tail. We have had it many times before and we usually enjoy it either grilled or fried in a cast iron pan. We like our fish simple. Usually we use just salt as a seasoning and squeeze some lemon from our tree on the cooked fish. For yellow tail I have made a few times a fruity salsa from fresh fruit I have had at hand like pineapple, peach, plums or mango. This week's salsa had mangoes.

I will post my most delicious paleo/AIP fish recipe experiments in future too. Stay tuned!

It is important to start with skin side up.
Otherwise the skin may stick to the pan.

Fried Yellow Tail 

yellow tail filets
salt to taste
1-2 tbsp coconut oil or olive oil

1. Cut the fish in smaller filets if needed. Leave the skin on.
2. Wash the fish and pat them dry with a paper towel or kitchen towel.
3. Heat a couple of spoonfuls of oil in your cast iron pan.
4. When the pan is warm, lay the fish pieces on the pan skin side up.
5. Leave them for a few minutes and turn them over.
6. Sprinkle salt on the fish and cover if you like.
7. Lower the heat a bit and cook until fish meat is white and flakes.

Mango Salsa 

1 ripe mango
1-2 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1-2 cloves of fresh garlic, crushed
juice from 1 lime
pinch of salt
a handful of fresh cilantro, chopped or cut small with scissors

1. Peel the mango and chop the meat in small pieces. I like to cut small slices against the pit first horizontally and then vertically to make squares and then cut along the pit to remove the pieces from the mango. Then repeat on the other side of the pit.
2. Put the mango pieces in a bowl and crush some of them with a fork to extract some of the juice.
3. Add lime juice, salt, crushed garlic and grated ginger. Let it sit for a while in the fridge before serving. If it is not spicy enough for your taste buds, add more ginger.

Use fresh ingredients for best results!

Veggie sides

I try to make sure we get plenty of vegetables every day. To help with this goal I have started to make often two veggie sides instead of one as I used to do.

With the fish and salsa I also served steamed asparagus that is in season now and sauteed purple mustard greens I got from the market as well. The asparagus I steamed just enough that it felt soft when I pierced a spear with a knife and tossed them in olive oil and sea salt.

The mustard greens I sauteed very lightly in a little bit of coconut oil and added a touch of salt. For sauteeing them I got instructions from the vendor at the market to heat the oil in the pan, add the greens, toss them in the oil, cover the pan and turn off the heat and let sit for just a little while. The greens stayed a little bit spicy in this way and were absolutely delicious!


What is your favorite way to prepare yellow tail?

Sweet potato, greens and chicken curry (AIP / Paleo / Grain free / Dairy free / Vegan version)

I love buying vegetables from the farmers' market and going home to cook them right away. Today we bought sweet potatoes and water spinach and came up with this creation. It was great and kids liked it too (well, at least one of them). I put only a little bit spices not to make it too strong for them as they are not used to very spicy food.


You can make this vegan by leaving out the chicken.

Coconut oil
Big bunch of greens (I used water spinach here)
Several sweet potatoes
Mushrooms of your choice
Garlic
Fresh ginger
Salt to taste
Turmeric to taste
1-2 cups of broth (can be vegetable or meat broth)
Chicken, optional

Optional (seed based spices are not included in the beginning of AIP diet so these can be left out as well):
Ground black pepper, cumin, coriander and mustard seed to taste

(These are spices included in the curry spice, just like the other spices above like turmeric which gives it the yellow color - I have made nightshade free curry spice myself in the past by mixing these spices but leaving out chili.)

1. Peel sweet potatoes and cut them in cubes. Chop mushrooms and greens.
2. Grate a piece of fresh ginger and chop garlic.
3. Heat up the coconut oil in a big pan on medium heat.
4. Add garlic, ginger and other spices (not salt yet) and stir them in the oil. Be careful not to burn them.
5. Add sweet potatoes and broth and let cook (covered) for a few minutes.
6. Cut chicken in strips and add them in the pan.
7. When the chicken and sweet potatoes are nearly done, add mushrooms and greens.
8. Last add salt and taste it. Add spices as needed.

This recipe can be found as well from Phoenix Helix' AIP Roundtable

Super easy creamy chicken in the oven (AIP, paleo, dairy free, grainfree, gluten free)

This dish has almost a blue cheesy taste although it is dairy free! This food was so good that we were nearly fighting for the last bits. You have to try it, I am telling you! I created the dish kind of accidentally while we were staying in a cabin in the national forest in Finland. We were jetlaggy, tired, needed a dinner quickly and these were the only ingredients I had at hand. I had packed the creamed coconut in my suit case to use in place of milk in cooking. It keeps well, doesn't need refrigeration and I often bring some camping too. Now that I think of it, this would be perfect camp food. It could be prepared ahead of time in bags of foil and just be put on the campfire at dinner time. We are going camping for my birthday this week on the beach, guess what my birthday dinner will be?!

Easypeasy creamy chicken in the oven

2 lbs chicken thighs or breast, cut in strips
small bunch of spinach, chopped roughly (other greens would work too)
1 package of mushrooms, cut in half or quarters
1 package of creamed coconut (I use this one) (half a package might be enough but I used the whole thing)
1/2 lb of bacon (AIP friendly bacon available at US Wellness meats), cut in small pieces
a clove of garlic
salt to taste
coconut oil to grease the pan
A splash or two of water, white wine or broth in addition if the dish feels very dry as you are mixing it, I added some just in case

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Grease an oven pan with coconut oil.
3. Mix all ingredients in the pan. If the creamed coconut is solid, you can crumble it. The crumbles give the dish actually a cheesy feel. Use a garlic press to mince the garlic.
4. Bake in the oven until the chicken is cooked. Keep an eye so it doesn't burn from the top and add water or broth or wine and mix if needed.
5. Serve with salad. (Would be very nice with some gluten free noodles or boiled potatoes too if the dish doesn't have to be AIP friendly!)

TIP: If you don't want to use oven in the heat of the summer, you can just as well sautee the dish in a pan or a pot.

More AIP friendly recipes

Plantain Pancakes (updated recipe!)

We make these grain free and vegan pancakes a lot. They are fast to make even on busy mornings. Kids love them, adults love them. Kids like to help making them. It is our new favorite breakfast in addition to leftovers and homemade maple pork sausage patties (I use the recipe from Nom Nom Paleo book for those). Last week I made some of this pancake batter at home to take camping and we fried them on our camp stove in Joshua Tree. During last months we have made all kinds of updates to the earlier recipe I posted. I started updating that post but there were so many updates that I decided to make a new post altogether.


I found this recipe from Purely Twins for grain free pancakes. I modified it a little to suit our diet. We have kept modifying the recipe to make it our own and here is the result of months of experimenting!

Our newest discovery were burro bananas as our grocery store was out of green plantains. They worked even better than plantains. The consistency of the pancake was amazing.

Grain free vegan pancakes
autoimmune paleo, vegan, grain free

1 green plantain or green burro banana (you can use yellow ones too, the batter will be just less starchy and more difficult to maneuver when turning the pancakes, I suggest adding 2 tbsp arrowroot starch or 1 tbsp coconut flour in this case)
1/2 cup full fat coconut milk or coconut kefir
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp coconut oil, melted (I buy mine from here, affiliate link that supports my blogging)
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
pinch of sea salt (I like Himalayan pink salt, affiliate link)

1. Peel the plantain, chop it and add in the blender or food processor (this is a perfect job for little kids!)

2. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth.

3. Warm your pan on medium-low heat.

4. Spread the thick batter on the pan. You might need to spread it a little bit with a spatula so the pancakes are not too thick.

5. Cook on one side until you are able to turn them. They are ready when they seem solid.

6. Serve them with maple syrup, jam, berries, unsweetened apple sauce, whatever you like. My kids favorites are apple sauce and the other one's maple syrup. You can transform them to a healthy lunch (school lunch too!) or even dinner by adding spinach and making spinach pancakes. Or eat them later cold as "bread".

Have a great Easter weekend! Easter post coming soon!

Sirpa

Bone Broth And An Every Day Gourmet Soup

We eat a lot of soup. The base of the soup is always the same, homemade broth. The other ingredients vary as I use whatever I have at hand. Every soup becomes different in this way and is always a new adventure! Read on to learn how to make your own broth/stock and how to use it as a base for a soup made of foods you happen to have at hand. I like to eat this soup when I have it at hand for breakfast, lunch and dinner!

Home made bone broth is healthy and delicious

The secret to a really good soup is in the homemade long cooked broth. The best restaurants make their own broths and you can cook delicious foods if you base them on your home cooked stocks. I save all bones and scraps of meat and veggies in my freezer and make broth out of them. You can use any kind of bones. Beef, chicken, pork, duck - all bones will do. You can buy grass fed beef bones from a butcher or health food store or use your leftover carcasses or bones from drumsticks or ribs. If you are not ready to use them, or don't have enough from one meal, you can freeze them in a ziploc bag to wait for a better moment and keep adding bones to the bag.

I prefer to use bones that have a little bit of meat attached to them, because the broth tastes better that way I think, but it is not necessary. I usually leave some meat on chicken carcasses for this purpose or add some leftover chunks of meat. Saving trimmed parts opf connective tissue (in that freezer bag) is a good idea too. Especially beef bones you might be able to use twice for two batched of broth!

Ingredients:

bones
water
(it is believed a splash or two of apple cider vinegar will help in removing minerals from the bones but some don't like the taste - I do like the added flavor)

Optional add ons (pick one or more to flavor the broth):

carrots
celery
bay leaves
whole peppercorns
fresh parsley or carrot tops
garlic cloves

Method 1: Slowcooker

Add the bones and any add ons in your crockpot. Add enough water to more than sufficiently cover the bones. Cook on low for 8-24 hours. Or even longer. I have sometimes had the broth simmering for days and just made sure to add more liquid from time to time. It has been nice to scoop a cupful of hot broth to drink and use in cooking straight from the cooker.

Method 2: In the oven

Add the bones and any add ons in an oven proof stock pot with a lid. Add enough water to more than sufficiently cover the bones. Bake in 200F for 8-24 hours. Or longer.

Strain the ready broth (you can try to use the bones for a second lighter batch) and freeze it or store in the fridge for up to a week and use in your cooking or drink by the cupful.

How to transform your broth into a delicious soup and get called a gourmet chef

1. Add chopped vegetables and meat in a pot. You can use up all leftover scraps from your fridge!
2. Pour in enough broth to cover the vegetables (you can replace some of it with water if you want).
3. Add spices to taste. I usually add salt, grated fresh ginger, crushed garlic, sometimes pepper.
4. Let simmer on low until the vegetables and meat are cooked.

TIP: My favorite soup contains chicken, white cabbage, kale, mushrooms and carrots with ginger and garlic. Sometimes if I am in a rush and don't have broth I boil a whole chicken in water for an hour or longer if I have time and in the meanwhile chop vegetables. When the chicken is cooked, I fish it out, throw the veggies and spices in to simmer and and then strip the meat from the bones and add the meat in the soup. The carcasse I keep for a second round of broth I cook for a longer time.

Marinated Olives

Anytime I serve these olives to anyone, they ask for the recipe. Some even say they are the best marinated olives they have ever tasted. I have to confess now upfront that the recipe is not mine originally. I wish it was. I have stolen the idea from a restaurant called Silvoplee in Helsinki, Finland. Silvoplee serves delicious vegetarian, raw and alive foods. Of course I don't know their recipe exactly but I have done my best to copy it. This is a great appetizer or a snack. Put some in your salad, too.

Marinated Olives

Good quality naturally cured olives (no white vinegar, preferably olives in just water and salt)
A couple of cloves of garlic, crushed
A bunch of fresh cilantro, cut fine with scissors
Good quality olive oil

Add olives, cilantro and garlic to a bowl and drizzle just enough olive oil on them that you can mix them easily. Let marinate in the fridge at least for a few hours, preferably overnight or a day or two.

Finnish Salmon Soup

Fish soup is a very common food in Finland. It is often made with salmon, potatoes and milk and garnished with dill. If you don't have fish stock at hand you can use water only but homemade fish stock is easy to make and gives a delicious flavor to the soup. Stock made from fish bones and heads is also very nutritious, full of minerals and makes a great addition to a healthy diet.


How to make fish stock:

1. Get a few pounds of fish bones and heads from a fish store or the fish counter from a grocery store. You might have to call them ahead to reserve the bones as they sometimes just throw them away. You shouldn't be charged a lot for them.

2. Put the bones and heads in a big stock pot and fill with water. Add 1-2 bay leaves, a carrot and about 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar.

3. Bring to boil and let simmer lid on for at least a few hours or as long as 24 hours.

4. Strain the stock. You can collect the fish meat from the bones and add to the soup or eat as is later.

Salmon Soup

4.5 cups fish stock (some of it can be replaced with water)
1/2-1 cup full fat milk (I use coconut milk)
1 lb salmon, skin removed and cut in cubes
4-5 medium sized turnips (or potatoes if you are not avoiding night shades)
1 carrot
5 whole allspice
1 small clove of garlic
1 tsp salt
dill

Optional: you can saute some onions in a fat of your choice in the sauce pan before adding the stock.

1. Measure the stock to a big enough sauce pan and bring to boil.

2. Chop the potatoes and carrots and add them to the stock as well as the whole allspice berries and chopped garlic.

3. Let simmer for about 15 minutes or until the potatoes and carrots are easily pierced with a fork.

4. Add the fish, salt, milk and chopped dill. The fish takes only a few minutes until it is ready. Check one fish piece to make sure it is cooked.

Check out more great recipes from Phoenix Helix Autoimmune Paleo Recipe Roundtable.

Coconut Balls (updated: two different recipes)

I have fond memories of making and eating coconut balls as a child. Me and my friends next door made them from time to time in their kitchen as a special treat. The delicious treat contained rolled oats, butter, sugar and cacao powder and were rolled in shredded coconut.  I have been trying to think how I could give my own children also the experience of making coconut balls without using oats, sugar or butter. The other night we came up with a recipe. This recipe is easy for the kids to do themselves with some help with measuring from an adult if needed.






Coconut balls ("Kookospallot")
VERSION 1

paleo, grain free, dairy free, gluten free, egg free, corn free, soy free, refined sugar free

1 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup coconut flour
pinch of salt (I like Himalayan pink salt)
1/3 cup palm shortening (or enough to make it right consistency)
1/4 cup unsweetened cacao powder
1/4 cup honey
(a pinch of ground vanilla bean)

more shredded coconut to roll the balls in


1. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Wooden spoon works but some little hands might like to mix it by hand. Be careful not to mix by hand for too long so the warmth of the hands doesn't melt the shortening too much.
2. Form little bite size balls.
3. Spread some shredded coconut on a plate and roll the balls in it.
4. Serve right away or store in the fridge for a few days. (We had nothing to put to the fridge, they were gone very fast.)

Coconut balls ("Kookospallot")
VERSION 2

paleo, grain free, dairy free, gluten free, egg free, corn free, soy free , refined sugar free

1 cups dates, pitted
3/4 cup shredded coconut
pinch of salt (I like Himalayan pink salt)
3 tbsp palm shortening or coconut oil
1 tbsp unsweetened cacao powder
1/4 tsp ground vanilla bean

more shredded coconut to roll the balls in

1. Add all ingredients to a food processor bowl and mix until all the dates are pureed and everything is mixed well together.
2. Form balls and roll them in shredded coconut.

Lemon Panna Cotta with Caramel Sauce

I tasted Meyer lemon pannacotta recently in an event and it was so delicious I realized I just have to recreate it at home. Besides we all know how healing gelatin is to the gut... This does have plenty of alternative sugars so even if it is autoimmune paleo friendly it is meant to be only an occasional treat.

I knew the ingredients because I asked before accepting the food to see if I could eat it: coconut milk, gelatin, lemon and honey.

Here's my version! Enjoy!

Lemon Pannacotta

3 cups full fat additive free coconut milk (I use Aroy-D and Chaokoh)

1/3 cup honey

1 vanilla bean, cut in half (optional, some avoid vanilla bean on autoimmune paleo protocol)

zest of one lemon

pinch of sea salt

2 tsp grassfed gelatin (I use this one)

4 tbsp cold water

1. Mix gelatin with water in a small bowl and put aside.

2. Add other ingredients to a sauce pan and bring to boil.

3. Add the gelatin and mix until it has dissolved.

4. Let sit for a few minutes to let the flavors absorb.

5. Strain in serving bowls and refrigerate for a few hours or until solidified. Serve with caramel sauce.

Caramel sauce:

juice of one lemon

2 tbsp maple sugar (I like this one)

1/2 cup coconut milk

pinch of salt

1/4 tsp ground vanilla bean (optional, leave out if you avoid vanilla bean on AIP)

1. Measure ingredients in a sauce pan. 

2. Bring to boil and simmer on low for 10 minutes. Stir the sauce constantly so it doesn't burn.

3. Let cool down a bit and serve with the pannacotta.

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Liver and Mushroom Stir Fry

My tries to incorporate more liver to our meals led to this dish. I used chicken liver for mild flavor but for stronger liver flavor use beef liver. I'd like pork liver for some foods but it is not commonly sold in the US it seems.

Liver and Mushroom Stir Fry

8 oz bacon (check ingredients carefully and for sugar free/additive free bacon, check out US Wellness Meats website)
8 oz liver
8 oz mushrooms of your choice
2-3 handfuls spinach or dandelion greens
2 cloves of garlic

1. Cut bacon in small pieces and slice liver thinly.
2. Fry bacon pieces in a cast iron pan. When the bacon is crispy, remove from the pan but leave the fat.
3. Add thinly sliced or chopped garlic to the pan. Be careful not to burn it.
4. Add mushrooms and fry until they get some color, then add spinach. Continue frying until spinach is just wilted. Remove from the pan but leave the fat.
5. Add the liver in the pan and fry until it gets some color.
6. Add all the other ingredients back to the pan and toss around for a minute or two so they are well mixed.
7. Serve as an appetizer or for main course with salad. Would be a nice breakfast too.

This recipe was posted in Phoenix Helix AIP Roundtable. Check it out for more recipes!

AIP/Paleo Emergency Food

In Southern California we have had a couple of earthquakes in the last week or two and even if they weren't big enough to cause big damage they were big enough to get people reviewing their disaster plans. What are we going to do if the "big one" hits? Our earth quake kit in the garage which is an old suit case filled with this and that is hopelessly outdated. I have been now buying and planning new emergency foods - AIP compatible emergency foods. You don't want to have to eat foods that make you sick in a situation like that on top of everything else. Here is a list of foods I have got / are on a shopping list for our emergency package:


- Canned tuna (ingredients need to be checked as some contain vegetable broth which's ingredients are unknown)
- Olives (traditionally cured in glass jars, no white vinegar or other additives, just salt and water)
- Canned salmon, sardines and chicken (check ingredients)
- Palm hearts in glass jars (Trader Joe's)
- Any suitable canned vegetables (check ingredients)
- Canned meat (check ingredients)
- Raisins and other dried fruits
- Freeze dried blueberries and other freeze dried fruit
- Freeze dried vegetables and meats (Honeyville Grain for instance is a good source)
- Water
- Our camp stove and extra fuel
- Extra coal for our barbeque (don't forget the matches!)
- Plum kids pureed fruit and vegetable pouches
- Plantain chips
- Water filtration system (for backpacking)
- Apple sauce
- Canned coconut milk (or in cartons) - this is a good option
- Seaweed snacks
- Nori sheets for making wraps
- Paleo wraps
- Organic shredded coconut, coconut flour, honey, coconut oil etc. to roll coconut balls for instance (omit cocoa powder for AIP friendly coconut balls)

I keep some water bottles in the freezer so that if the power goes out I can use some of them as ice packs in a cooler to keep perishables from the fridge cold longer.

What would you add to the list?

Homemade Sausage

We don't really buy sausage anymore because it is hard, if not impossible, to find sausage that would be sugar free and night shade free. I took the plunge and bought a stand mixer with the meat grinder and sausage stuffer attachment. The stand mixer is handy anyway in other tasks too like making these corn free and egg free marshmallows with honey as an occasional treat for camping trips.


Homemade Pork Sausage
paleo, AIP, gluten free, grain free, dairy free, corn free, night shade free, egg free, refined sugar free

2 lb pork from Rainbow Ranch Farms, cut in one inch chunks
1/2 lb fat (I used lard)
20 gr salt
5 mushrooms
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp fresh parsley, cut fine with scissors
3 tbsp apple sauce
1 clove of garlic
natural casings (I used these ones, affiliate link)

I made the sausages with a Kitchenaid stand mixer and its meat grinder and sausage stuffer attachment. I followed the instructions on this video. (I am not affiliated with Kitchenaid by the way, it is just the tool I happen to use.)

I first ground the meat with the lard and mushrooms in the food grinder. I gently mixed in all the other ingredients from above (except casings of course) and then changed to the sausage stuffer attachment.

According to the instructions on the video below I made the sausages. The sausages can be boiled, fried or barbequed. The video says you'll need two people to make the sausages but I did it alone. It was a little tricky but not impossible.

This recipe is posted also on Phoenix Helix AIP Round Table. Check it out for more great AIP friendly recipes!

Pineapple Dessert

I came up with this dessert when I cooked Shrimp Pineapple Fajitas and had so much pineapple that it seemed like too much for the main course. I just saved some of the fried pineapple but you can also prepare them separately.

Pineapple Dessert (paleo, AIP)

Serves 4

A third or half of a pineapple cut in bite sized pieces

Coconut oil

Balsamic vinegar

Mint leaves (I like to use small apple mint leaves)

Maple syrup (optional)

1. Fry the pineapples in coconut oil in a cast iron pan and when they have got some color, drizzle a little bit of balsamic vinegar on them and toss a minute or two more to caramelize them.
2. Arrange in serving bowls and if you wish drizzle just a hint of maple syrup on them.
3. Pour some cold vanilla sauce (recipe below) on the warm pineapples. 
4. Garnish with some torn fresh mint leaves.

Vanilla sauce

1 frozen banana (peel it before freezing it)

1/4 cup coconut milk

1/4 tsp ground vanilla bean

Measure all ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth.

Shrimp Fajitas (AIP, Paleo, Grain free, Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Corn Free, Nightshade Free)

I have missed Mexican restaurants while being on our healing diets. We used to often have a Mexican night at home too on the weekends and it was always so much fun. But now we don't eat beans, corn, tomatoes, peppers or dairy so that's pretty much it, right? In my cravings last night I took what we had at hand and with the help of guacamole made it resemble a Mexican meal. This dish is not really Mexican but it has a little bit of that feeling!

Shrimp Pineapple Fajitas

1 pound uncooked peeled shrimp
2 zucchinis
1/2 pineapple (I used the other half for pineapple dessert)
Coconut oil
Mushrooms
Salt
A piece of fresh ginger
Paleo coconut wraps (I use these)

Paleo Guacamole

Coconut kefir (it can sometimes become sour cream consistency or thicker if you let it sit in the fridge for a while)

1. Cut everything in bite sized pieces.
2. Heat a tablespoon or so of coconut oil in a frying pan (cast iron is a must especially in this recipe!). Start by frying the pineapples and ginger. When they have some brown color, move them to another dish.
3. Add another tablespoon of coconut oil and add the chopped zucchinis in the pan. Fry them until almost soft and add the uncooked peeled shrimp. Fry until the shrimp is ready which takes only a few minutes. Add salt to taste. Don't overcook the shrimp. It is pretty much done when it has turned red but check of course first before serving.
4. Bring all food to the table and everyone can make their own wraps with guacamole and some solidified coconut kefir if you wish.

Paleo BBQ! (AIP friendly) - and VIDEO: How to cut a chicken in half with scissors

I know some of you are covered in snow (I have seen the photos on Facebook!). And this weekend even here in Los Angeles we have some long due rain. But no snow here so we have been using our barbeque all winter long. My seven year old is very jealous of anyone living in climates with snow, outdoor ice skating rinks and where kids can eat their school lunches inside! Being someone who grew up in Finland his comments make me chuckle. I like this weather although I sometimes do miss thew snow. And the seasons.

Anyway, here are some barbeque ideas for paleo eaters and autoimmune paleo protocol followers. Remember that the grill should be clean to avoid cross contamination.

Robin Hood Chicken

A whole chicken (I buy mine from Rainbow Ranch)

A bunch of parsley

A few sprigs of rosemary and thyme

3 cloves of garlic

Salt

Black pepper (optional)
2 tbsp coconut oil, melted on low heat (I use this coconut oil, referral link)

1. Cut the chicken in half with a pair of kitchen scissors. See from the video below where my husband Ville demonstrates how it is done!

2. Mix the herbs with the oil, crushed garlic and spices. Rub the mixture on the chicken halves.
3. Bbq until done, turning over at least once.

TIP: If you don't have a whole chicken, drumsticks work very well for this recipe. Mix all the ingredients and put them in a ziplock bag and let marinade for a while if you have time.

Grilled plantains

Yellow Plantains
Salt
Coconut oil, melted
Ground black pepper or allspice (optional)

Cut the plantains in half lengthwise. Oil the cut side and sprinkle with salt (and pepper if using). Place on the grill skin side down for about 8 minutes and turn them. Grill for a few more minutes until brown from the cut side facing the grill now.

Grilled Yams (sweet potatoes would work as well)

A few yams
Coconut oil
Salt

Boil yams in salted water until they are almost cooked. Rub the yams with coconut oil and sprinkle with sea salt and put on the grill until they are soft.

Zucchinis with pesto

Zucchinis

This pesto

Cut the zucchinis in half an inch slices lengthwise. Spread pesto on one side and place them on the grill that side up. Bbq until soft, don't overcook though.

Skewers

Soak wooden skewers in water for half an hour or use reusable metal ones. I use metal skewers like these (affiliate link to Amazon).

Beef portobello skewers: Cut beef (sirloin, tenderloin or something like that) and portobello mushrooms in one inch cubes. Toss in a bowl with olive oil and salt and black pepper if you wish. Put the pieces on skewers alternating the beef and the portobello pieces. Bbq until cooked.

Pineapple chicken skewers: Follow the instructions above but replace the beef and portobellos with fresh pineapple and chicken thighs!

Vanilla Cupcake With Strawberry Frosting (Grain Free, Vegan, Paleo)

I don't make a lot of sweets but then there are special occasions. I made these for my three year old's birthday. Technically these cupcakes are AIP legal as well but they might be too sugary as some may try to avoid even natural sweeteners. Some avoid vanilla bean as well and that could be left out. I like to make mini cupcakes so that you can eat just a small bite. Then again, if you eat five mini cupcakes because they are soooo good... Hmmm. These were very good. I might have had more than one.

Vanilla Cupcake
grain free, vegan, paleo, refined sugar free
makes about 24 mini cupcakes

1/2 cup coconut flour (I use this one, affiliate link)
1/4 tsp baking soda
a pinch of salt (I like to use Himalayan pink salt, affiliate link)
1 apple peeled and grated/pureed
1/2 tsp ground vanilla bean (I use this one, affiliate link)
1/2 cup maple syrup (or honey)
1/2 cup coconut kefir

1. Preheat your oven to 350F and line your cupcake pan.
2. Mix coconut flour, baking soda, salt and vanilla bean in a bowl.
3. Mix finely grated apple, maple syrup and coconut kefir in another bowl.
4. Combine the wet and dry ingredients and mix.
5. Pour into muffin pan and bake for 20 minutes or until done.
6. Let cool and frost.

Strawberry Lime frosting 
grain free, vegan, paleo, corn free, refined sugar free

1 cup organic palm shortening (this one is great, affiliate link)
1/3 cup maple syrup
a pinch of ground vanilla bean (I use this one, affiliate link)
8 smallish strawberries, cut in small pieces
1 tbsp lime juice

1. Measure all ingredients in a bowl and mix with a hand mixer until desired consistency. You might have to mix for even 5-10 minutes. It starts separating first but just keep going.

2. Decorate the cupcakes and serve immediately or refridgerate.

Quick Snack Idea (Great For Kids!)

My son who turns three tomorrow likes to make his own sushi snacks. This snack is easy to do with anything you have available, can be accomodated to any diet that allows sea weed and can be packed to go as well. It would make a fun and healthy school lunch.

I cut nori sheets in pieces and give him prepared sushi rice and different fillings like carrot sticks, cucumbers, smoked salmon, cooked shrimp, avocado pieces etc. he can choose from. He will place the fillings on the sea weed and eat it like a taco. Today I had set up just carrots but he chose strawberries and sugar snap peas leftover from breakfast. :)

Grain free/rice free version: Leave out rice!

Vegan version: Leave out meat fillings!

TIP:  Use those ready sea weed snack packs instead of cut nori sheets for an even faster option. Remember to read the ingredients on those to check for any foods you might be avoiding. They have more ingredients than the nori sheets usually. I like these raw nori sheets (affiliate link to Amazon).

Oxtail Soup

I like oxtail soup because I like the idea that nothing is wasted if an animal is killed for our nourishment. It is also the most delicious thing I have ever tasted. Even my selective seven year old said that he would like to eat it every day. In Finland oxtail soup is made traditionally from root vegetables and onions. I have added also some greens or cabbage and I like to add some ginger to bring flavor. Here is my slow cooker ox tail soup recipe. I eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner when I have it at hand.

Ox tail soup

One ox tail, in pieces (if you'd have a whole tail, cut the tail in pieces from the joints)
Fat of your choice, I use lard or coconut oil
A carrot
Two turnips
One small rutabaga
A teaspoon of grated fresh ginger
One clove of garlic
A bunch of collard greens or kale of white cabbage
A zucchini or yellow squash
Salt
2 Bay leaves
Some fresh parsley
A couple of quarts of broth (or if you don't have broth at hand like I didn't today, I put in enough water and a couple of beef bones cut in half)
3 tbsp lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
(a few peppercorns)

1. Chop the vegetables.

2. Melt the fat on a frying pan and brown the ox tail pieces and root vegetables.

3. Put all ingredients in the slow cooker and cook on low overnight or 8-10 hours (talk about a tasty breakfast waiting for you in the morning!) or until the meat falls off the bone.

4. Fish out all the bones and tail pieces. Let them cool. (Fish out also the bay leaves and peppercorns if you want.) In the meanwhile puree the veggies with an immersion blender or press them through a strain. Or leave them as is especially if you have cut them really small.

5. Remove the meat from the tail bones and chop in pieces and add to the soup.

6. If you want to remove fat from the soup, stick it in the fridge and peel the fat from the top when it has cooled down and the fat is a solid layer on the top.

Check out this coconut oil giveaway too!

More autoimmune paleo friendly recipes, check out this roundtable where this post was published too.

Finnish Lamb and Cabbage Stew with Cranberries (grain free, dairy free, paleo, AIP)

This is a very traditional Finnish recipe. I got the inspiration to this from a cook book from 1910. I made it in a slow cooker but included also instructions for making it on the stove top. You could also cook it low and covered in the oven. I can imagine this being served in Finland with boiled and peeled potatoes but I have left them out because we are not eating night shades right now.

Lamb and cabbage stew (Lammaskaali)

1 head of white cabbage
2 lbs lamb shoulder (with bones)
1 tbsp lard, coconut oil or fat of your choice, optional
2 tbsp sea salt
2 bay leaves
Fresh or dried marjoram
water
OPTIONAL: 10 whole allspice berries (leave out if you are on AIP and haven't introduced fruit/berry/seed based spices back yet)

1. Cut the cabbage in eight sections. Remove the hard center.
2. Cut the lamb in chunks or steaks and break the bones if necessary.
3. If you wish, brown the meat slightly in lard or other fat in a cast iron frying pan. Remove the meat from the pan and add some water in it. Bring to boil and save the broth for the stew. (Tthis step can be skipped too.)
4. Arrange the meat, cabbage wedges and spices in layers in a slow cooker crock or a pot.
5. Add the liquid from the frying pan to the pot or the crock and just enough water to prevent the stew from burning. Check during cooking if water needs to be added.
6. Cover and simmer for 3-4 hours on the stove in the pot or cook on low in the slow cooker for about 8 hours. You can remove the bones and cut the meat in bite size pieces before serving but it is not necessary.
7. Serve with crushed cranberries.

Crushed Cranberries (Karpalosurvos)

Cranberries, fresh or frozen
Raw honey

Crush cranberries with a potato masher or a vegetable stomper (or pulse a few times in a blender) and add honey to taste. No need to thaw them if they are frozen. The crushed cranberries will keep in the fridge in a jar for a while. If you happen to have freshly picked lingonberries, feel free to replace the cranberries with those. :)

PS. I have a one gallon coconut oil giveaway in my blog! Check it out!
PS2. For more paleo and autoimmune paleo recipes, check out Phoenix Helix AIP round table where this recipe appears as well.

The Best Ever Fish Sticks (Grain Free, Egg Free, Dairy Free, Corn Free, Nut Free)

We made the best fish sticks tonight. They were beautiful and so delicious. I wasn't thinking about blogging about them as I just tried to make quickly something yummy for sick children (I designed the recipe in my head holding a napping feverish two year old) so I didn't measure of course so these amounts are very approximate but I'll give you good instructions! And I snapped a photo when I realized that these were going to turn out really good:

Our Favorite Paleo Fish Sticks

1 lb or so white fish filets like cod, frozen is fine (you can also use large uncooked peeled shrimp)
1/2 cup homemade coconut kefir 
1/2 cup arrowroot starch
3/4-1 cup shredded coconut
salt
dried powdered ginger
garlic powder
1 tsp of maple sugar (optional)
1/4 cup coconut oil

1. Thaw the fish. Cut it in pieces.

2. Take two bowls. Put in one bowl the coconut kefir and about 1/2 tsp salt, a pinch of garlic powder and a pinch of ginger. Put some of the fish to soak in the bowl.

3. Take the other bowl and mix in it the starch, the coconut and again about 1/2 tsp salt, a pinch of garlic powder and ginger and maple sugar.

4. Heat a couple of tablespoons of coconut oil on medium heat in a skillet.

5. Toss fish pieces (and we did shrimp too!) first in coconut kefir, then lightly in the flour mixture and fry on both sides until flaky (only a few minutes). You might have to add more coconut oil in between and even clean the pan.

6. Serve immediately with salad or sauteed greens (we sauteed chard and kale in coconut oil and home made chicken broth) or steamed vegetables.

I use this coconut oil. I order it often in gallon buckets like this because it lasts for a long time (a couple of years I believe, except not for that long in my household as some of us eat it with a spoon...) and it is cheaper that way. If you order by clicking on my links and have never ordered from Tropical Traditions in the past, you will receive a free book on Virgin Coconut Oil, and I will receive a discount coupon for referring you. Thanks for your support!