Pork Satay with Almond Butter Sauce

This recipe from dinnerwithjulie.com pretty much fits my dietary restrictions with the substitution of tamari sauce for the soy sauce. I'm preparing this for Christmas Eve dinner with my Dad and brother. I know Mom would approve!

1 pound center cut thin boneless pork chops

Marinade:
1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. orange or lime juice
1 tsp. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. curry powder
pinch hot chile flakes

Almond Butter Satay Sauce:
1/2 cup almond butter (peanut butter works too)
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. lemon or lime juice
2 Tbsp. hot water
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/2 tsp Sriracha sauce (chile garlic sauce)

Cut the pork tenderloin in half crosswise and then lengthwise into strips. Put in a bowl with all the marinade ingredients, and toss it around with your hands. Cover and refrigerate for an hour or overnight.

Mix together all the satay sauce ingredients, and thin with additional water if necessary. Set aside.
Preheat a grill or broiler. Thread the pork onto skewers that have been soaked in water for at least 10 minutes. Grill or broil on both sides until just cooked through. Serve skewers on top of coconut rice with satay sauce on the side.

Gluten Free Cranberry Orange Muffins

Since moving to the Southwest, some of my favorite Christmas treats are the fresh-off-the-tree oranges we get every December. I've experimented with several different orange recipes over the years, so this year I wanted to try Cranberry Orange Muffins. Since I'm loving the buckwheat flour right now, I've modified my previous muffin recipes and merged it with a recipe from joyfulhealthyeats.com. Here it is:

1 1/4 cups Tom Sawyer Gluten Free flour

3/4 cup buckwheat flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 ounces Trader Joe's dried cranberries (fortified with cranberry seed oil) 

2 eggs

3/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice

1/4 cup rice milk
1/3 cup melted coconut oil

1/3 cup maple syrup

1 teaspoon grated orange zest

1 teaspoon table sugar

 

Preheat oven to 400º. In a large bowl, combine flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a small bowl, beat eggs, orange juice, rice milk, melted coconut oil, maple syrup, and grated orange zest. (When adding the refrigerated ingredients, the coconut oil will solidify, so either warm everything to room temperature or microwave the wet ingredients in 15 second increments and stir. Don't overcook it or you will have to start over!) Add wet mixture to dry ingredients, stir to combine until it is just moistened. Stir in cranberries. Line muffin tin with muffin foil or papers and spoon mixture into tin until 3/4 full. Sprinkle table sugar over muffins. Bake for 15-20 minutes until lightly browned.

Gluten Free Tom Kha (Thai Coconut Soup)

My son found this recipe at http://stupideasypaleo.com/2013/05/10/thai-coconut-soup-tom-kha/

We tried the recipe without the fish sauce and decided it was still outrageously delicious.

Ingredients for Thai Coconut Soup (Tom Kha):

• 14 ounces (420 ml) can full-fat coconut milk
• 2 cups (475 ml) chicken stock
• 1 pound (500 grams) shrimp or chicken breast
• 1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and sliced into rounds
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 2 Tablespoons lime juice
• 1 Tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon sriracha (or to make homemade, check this out)
• Chopped cilantro for garnish

Directions for Thai Coconut Soup (Tom Kha):

1. Prepare the shrimp by peeling and deveining if not already done prior to purchase. If using chicken, clean the chicken of any connective tissue and cut into small chunks.
2. In a pot over medium heat, combine the coconut milk, chicken stock and ginger. Bring the liquid to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer.
3. Add the shrimp or chicken, mushrooms, lime juice, fish sauce and sriracha. Simmer until the shrimp (less than 5 min) or the chicken (5-10 minutes) is cooked through.
4. Top with fresh chopped cilantro for garnish.

Gluten Free Taco Seasoning

For the past five years, I have made tacos sans seasoning. My family didn't complain, they just poured on the taco sauce, but I really missed the seasoning. I found and modified a recipe from the Family Fresh Meals blog.

1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic-infused olive oil
  
Mix together all ingredients except oil. Brown 1 1/2 - 2 pounds ground beef or turkey and drain off fat. Sprinkle seasoning evenly over meat and drizzle olive oil over top. Mix well and serve.

Thanksgiving Dinner

This is one of my favorite meals of the year. Every year, I like to try new things and this year is no exception. This year presents a fun challenge because my son is following a Paleo diet while I am eating gluten free. We've decided on some of the following dishes.

Trader Joe's Cranberry Sauce (in the jar, just twist and serve)
Dairy Free Scalloped Potatoes
Paleo Pumpkin Pie Pudding
Athena's Favorite Green Beans

All Natural Turkey from Sprout's, brined following this Emeril brining recipe:

Brine:

• 1 cup salt
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 oranges, quartered
• 2 lemons, quartered
• 6 sprigs thyme
• 4 sprigs rosemary

To make the brining solution, dissolve the salt and sugar in 2 gallons of cold water in a non-reactive container (such as a clean bucket or large stockpot, or a clean, heavy-duty, plastic garbage bag.) Add the oranges, lemons, thyme, and rosemary.

These Best Ever Scalloped Potatoes with No Dairy

Ingredients

12	potatoes sliced thin
1            bunch green	onions, finely chopped or sliced thin if you prefer
1/3 c	Olive oil
3 c	boiling chicken broth
1/3 c	Gluten free flour
	salt, pepper and paprika to taste

Directions

In 2 shallow, well greased 2 Qt. Casserole dishes layer, Potatoes and Onions sprinkling with salt and pepper between each layer.            

In a medium sauce pan warm oil over medium heat. Stir in flour until well blended. Wisk in chicken stock; cook stirring constantly until it boils and thickens.            

Pour sauce over potatoe casserole and sprinkle with paprika to taste.            

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for about 50 minutes or until potatoes and tender and golden brown.

 

Paleo Pumpkin Pie Pudding from this blog

 

Ingredients

For the puddings:
• 2 tbl grass fed gelatin
• 1/4 cup cool water
• 1.5 cups coconut milk
• 1.5 cups pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
For the candied pecan topping:
• 1/2 cup pecan halves
• 2 tbl maple syrup
• 1 tsp coconut oil
• Pinch salt

Instructions

For the puddings:
1. Add the grass fed gelatin to a small jug or bowl. Add the water and then stir with a fork until you have a paste.
2. To a small saucepan, add the coconut milk. Gently warm the coconut milk over a low heat - do not simmer or boil. Whisk in the grass fed gelatin paste and keep whisking until combined. Remove from the heat.
3. Add the pumpkin puree, maple syrup and cinnamon to a blender.
4. Puree until smooth.
5. Add the grass fed gelatin and coconut milk mixture to the blender; process to combine.
6. Use a wide mouth canning funnel to divide the mixture evenly between 8 4 oz mason jars or ramekins. Chill for at least 1 hour.
For the candied pecan topping:
7. Add all the ingredients to a small saute pan. Cook over medium high heat - the right temperature will be when the maple syrup is bubbling. Keep stirring constantly until the syrup reduces and the pecans are coated, about 5 minutes.
8. Remove to a parchment paper lined plate. Chill until the puddings are ready, then top the puddings with the candied pecans

Athena's Favorite Green Beans

I asked my students for their favorite Thanksgiving food and most of them said turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, or pie. This student said her mom's green beans are the best so this is mom's recipe:

 

Long green beans

Red onion slices

Minced garlic

Kosher salt

Black pepper

Olive oil

Mix together the olive oil, black pepper, minced garlic, and salt. Cook the green bean and onions with the olive oil mixture and bake for 15 minutes in the oven at 375 - 400 degrees.

 

Ruth Chris' Sweet Potato Casserole

Ingredients:
CRUST
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup flour...
1 cup chopped nuts (pecans preferred)
1/4 cup butter (melted)

SWEET POTATO MIXTURE
3 cups mashed sweet potatoes (can use canned to save time, just drain)
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs (well beaten)
1/2 cup butter, melted (1/2 cup)

Directions:

1. Combine brown sugar, flour, nuts and butter in mixing bowl. Set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

3. Combine sweet potatoes, sugar, salt, vanilla, eggs and butter in a mixing bowl in the order listed. Mix thoroughly.

4. Pour mixture into buttered baking dish.

5. Sprinkle the surface of the sweet potato mixture evenly with the crust mixture.

6. Bake for 30 minutes. Allow to set at least 30 minutes before serving.

We'll have a few standards such as mashed potatoes, gravy, and stuffing too. I'm getting hungry just writing about this.

Relief - I've finally found a cleansing regimen that is working!

About eight months ago, I found out that my prescription cleanser (Prascion) was discontinued. I figured that if I continued to use the Finacea gel and an over the counter cleanser, things should be fine. As you may have already read, I have tried several different products which seem to work for a while, but generally I have had no luck clearing the redness and papules/pustules. This summer, I began to review my treatment plans from the past and realized that my skin was at its best when I was treating the papules/pustules as adult acne. I was desperate and begged my Dermatologist to prescribe Retin A Micro, which I had used successfully about nine years ago. The insurance company approved and I began using it, but it made me break out horribly, especially on my neck and jaw. Of course, everything I read said that this was just the purging phase and to hang in there. Hang in I did for three months. During this ordeal, my mom was battling a horrific case of stage IV melanoma, and the stress of seeing her suffering compounded my breakouts. Finally, at the end of August, after days of research, I decided to try Dermadoctor's Ain't Misbehavin' Cleanser twice a day. It went against everything I have read about Rosacea but it went totally with what I knew would help adult acne. Within a few days, the inflammation in my skin calmed down and the papules and pustules began to clear. I would, however, for a couple weeks afterward, get one or two large pustules on my cheek that would head, burst, begin to clear, then reform. I then decided to add Dermadoctor's Ain't Misbehavin' serum every morning while continuing the Finacea nightly. My skin has not been this clear since my last pregnancy eighteen years ago. It isn't dry or oily either. I've been on this treatment regimen now for ten weeks with great success. I am still on my original tube of cleanser and serum, so even though it is pricey, it lasts a while and in my opinion is well worth the price.

Gluten Free Banana Walnut Buckwheat Muffins

Okay, so I figured if the Blueberry Buckwheat Muffins are awesome, then surely we could vary the ingredients for some other home baked goodness. These are scrumptious as well!

1 1/4 cup Buckwheat Flour
3/4 cups Tom Sawyer Gluten Free Flour
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
3/4 teaspoons Salt
2 whole Large Eggs
1/3 cup Maple Syrup
1 cup Rice Milk, warmed to room temperature
1/3 cup Coconut Oil, melted
2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
2 medium sized, very ripe bananas, mashed

Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a 12-muffin tray with paper or foil liners. Whisk together the flours,  baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir in chopped walnuts. Set aside for now. In a large bowl whisk together the eggs and maple syrup until well combined, about 2 minutes if whisking by hand. Whisk in the rice milk, oil, mashed bananas, and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients into the wet all at once and stir just until combined, being careful not to over-mix. Divide the batter between the 12 muffin wells and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes. Cool completely before removing the muffins from the tray.