Paleo "Sliders"

Makes 30 "Sliders"

Ingredients:

2lbs Ground Meat (Buffalo, Beef, Venison, Elk...)*

30 Paleo Buns, recipe follows

Toppings:

-Bacon

-Arugula or Mache

-Tomato (use Roma tomatoes and slice horizontally)

-Avocado or Guacamole 

-Shallots (I like to use thinly-sliced shallots for sliders, instead of red onions, for their small size)

-Dill Pickles

-Mustard, Homemade Mayo

*This should create about 30- 1oz burgers, after cooking. I just use sea salt and pepper for my burgers, but make them how you like. Use a small ice cream scoop for even size. They can be grilled, cooked in a pan, or baked in a 400F oven (my choice when making large batches for a party). 

Paleo "Slider" Buns:
3/4 Cup Coconut Flour
2T. Arrowroot Powder
1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 tsp. Sea Salt
6 Eggs, beaten
1T. Braggs Raw Apple Cider Vinegar
1/2 Cup Melted Ghee (if you don't do ghee, try coconut oil...but, know that I haven't tried it, so don't know how it will work)

For topping:
1 Egg, whisked
1 T. Sesame Seeds

1. Preheat oven to 325F.
2. Sift coconut flour, arrowroot powder, baking soda, and sea salt into a bowl. 
3. Add beaten eggs and mix to combine. 
4. Add melted ghee and vinegar, mix until smooth.
5. Scoop batter onto a silpat or parchment paper- lined baking sheet, in 1 T. balls (I used a small ice cream scooper). You should have about 30 buns. 
6. Brush the tops of the buns with whisked egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds. 
7. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown and slightly puffed. 
8. Remove from oven and transfer to a baking rack, to cool. 
9. Slice in half and serve with "slider" patties and toppings. 

Before baking.

This bun recipe is inspired by this bread recipe that I recently discovered; I modified it quite a bit, but since this is where it all began, I thought it worth mentioning. We host an "Annual Super Bowl Party" at our house and, though we're going to Portland this year, I thought that it might be nice to share a few recipes that I would've liked to make this year. I usually serve burgers, in some form, but like the idea of actually getting to eat a bun and offering a bun that other non-Paleo eaters would actually enjoy. And, I really like that it's has a coconut flour base, versus an almond (which I've been limiting) flour base. This bun and burger is awesome and I'm so excited to share it with you! 

Sausage and Vegetable Stuffed Delicata Squash

Serves 2+

Ingredients

Squash:

1 Delicata Squash (you can use acorn, or another small winter squash), halved and seeded

1T. Coconut Oil

1/2tsp. Sea Salt

1tsp. Ground Cinnamon (optional)

Stuffing:
1T. Coconut Oil
10-12oz of Ground Meat (I used a combination of pork sausage and buffalo)
1/2 Small Onion, chopped finely
1 Garlic Clove, minced
1 cup Finely Chopped Vegetables (I used a combination of zucchini and cauliflower, pulsed in my mini chopper)
1/4 cup Fresh Herbs (I used parsley and thyme), finely chopped, plus more for garnish
Sea Salt and Black Pepper, to taste
1 Egg, lightly beaten

4 Bacon Slices, sliced into 1/2" pieces

Roasting the squash:

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Transfer squash to a baking sheet, coat with 1T. coconut oil, and season with cinnamon and salt. 
3. Bake for 30-45 minutes, until soft.

While squash is roasting, make stuffing:

1. Heat a saute pan, over medium-high heat. Add coconut oil and meat. Cook meat until browned. 
2. Add onion, garlic, and vegetables and toss to coat. Cook until all vegetables are softened, about 5-7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. 
3. Add fresh herbs and stir to combine. Remove from heat and set mixture aside to cool slightly. 
4. Add egg and stir to combine. 
5. Fill squash halves with mixture, top with bacon slices, and return to 400F oven (I cooked the squash on a cake/cookie-drying rack, but this is not necessary). Bake for 40-45 minutes, until bacon is browned and mixture is cooked through. 
6. Garnish with fresh herbs and serve.

 

This squash was filled and then refrigerated overnight, so that all I had to do was bake.

I roasted the squash in the morning, while my oven was still hot from my frittata; I let the squash cool and then put them in tupperware and into the fridge. My stuffing was something that I created for frittatas and was also in the fridge...I just added an egg to help it bind during baking. You can create any sort of mixture for your "stuffing" and can make extra to throw into your frittatas or scrambles for the week. 

Buffalo Strip Steak w/Veggies and Bacon

Buffalo Strip Steak (6oz)

Bacon (2-3 slices), cut into 1" slices

Broccoli or Asparagus

Sea Salt and Black Pepper

Here's how you do it:

1. Preheat oven to 415F
2. Season buffalo w/sea salt (very lightly since you're using the bacon) and pepper.
3. Heat an oven-proof pan over medium-high heat. Add bacon slices and cook until fat is rendered and bacon is browned. 
4. Sear the buffalo until a crust forms, about 2 minutes. Flip and then transfer to the preheated oven. 
5. Cook until medium-rare, 5-7 minutes. 
6. Remove from oven and transfer to a plate. Leave the bacon in the pan and add the veggies. Toss to coat and transfer the pan back into the oven. Cook until veggies begin to caramelize, 5-7 minutes depending on the veggie and size. 
7. Remove the pan from the oven, transfer the veggies to your plate, and while the pan is still hot, give the meat a final searing. 
8. Serve and enjoy!

Veggies + Bacon + 415F Oven = Total Awesomeness!!! Try it and love it!

Lamb Osso Bucco (Round #2)

I had a bit of veggies and juices leftover from Sunday night's Lamb Osso Bucco, so I used it all to create this:

I browned 6oz. of Ground Buffalo and then, before it was cooked all the way through, added the leftover liquid and veggies to cook through. Garnish with a little fresh parsley and enjoy. That simple!

Green Eggs and Buffalo Fritatta

I had planned on creating a batch of really green "Eggs in a Nest", but decided to get a little more creative, after reading this post from Heather at HEAB. So, in honor of St. Patrick's Day, Scott and I ate this:

 

As usual, zucchini on my side, a little cheese (1oz) on Scott's.

Green Eggs and Buffalo Fritatta

Makes 2 Servings

5 Eggs (Omega-3)

2 Cups (or two big handfuls) Fresh Spinach

4oz Ground Buffalo

1 Large Zucchini, grated

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
   
2. In a blender, whip the eggs and spinach with a splash of water. Set aside.
3. In an omelet or saute pan over medium-high heat, cook the buffalo until browned, but still pink. Add the zucchini* and stir.
4. Add the egg mixture.
5. Place pan in preheated oven and continue to cook until set, about 5-12 minutes (depending on pan).
6. Gently shake the pan to loosen the frittata and slide it onto a serving plate.

*I add the zucchini to my side and the cheese to Scott's side, after I add the eggs to the pan (Step 4).

And, here's my side served up with sliced avocado (1/2 large):

Back from Vegas

  

Out Exploring "The Vegas Strip"

We had a great time in Vegas, but now it's back to reality. I found plenty of Paleo-friendly meals options (Salmon w/Poached Egg, Burgers Minus the Bun Add Extra Veggies, Scrambled Eggs w/Lobster, Spinach, and Avocado, Sushi), but definitely took advantage of the "free" drinks they so generously provide while gambling...and as far as workouts are concerned...we hiked around "The Strip", on Saturday and trekked back and forth between Bally's, Paris, and Planet Hollywood, the rest of the weekend; I think my only heart rate increase occurred while gambling. So, with that being said, it's back to "clean" eating and CrossFit. One more day in Vegas and we may have come home with "black lung", and we don't even smoke...I think I'll stick to something heavy today, as my lungs are still recovering.

Breakfast:

Buffalo-Zucchini Fritatta*

Makes 2 Servings

5 Eggs (Omega-3)

4oz Ground Buffalo

1 Large Zucchini, grated

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
   
2. In a bowl, whisk the eggs with a splash of water. Set aside.
3. In an omelet or saute pan over medium-high heat, cook the buffalo until browned and cooked through. Add the zucchini and stir.
   
4. Add the egg mixture.
5. Place pan in preheated oven and continue to cook until set, about 5-10 minutes (depending on pan).
6. Gently shake the pan to loosen the frittata and slide it onto a serving plate.

*Scott and I share this frittata pretty much every morning.

Lunch:
Buffalo Burger w/Heirloom Lettuce and Avocado Salsa

 

Snacks:

Mini (4") Paleo Pizza** w/Spinach and Tomato

1/3 Large Paleo Kit

**Yes, Kelly I am working on that pizza recipe! More on that tomorrow.

Paleo Pizza (Trial #1):

Paleo Kits: