Paleo Cookbook For Dummies (59 page)
Read Paleo Cookbook For Dummies Online
Authors: Kellyann Petrucci
You don't have to have dressings and sauces, but they sure do make the world a better place! You may think living Paleo means giving up your favorite condiments â who's ever seen a picture of a caveman eating mayo? â but that's just not true.
You can still have a hamburger dripping with mayonnaise or douse your eggs with ketchup if you please; you just have to redefine your mayo and ketchup by making them Paleo-style. When you make Paleo dressings and sauces with wholesome, nutritious ingredients, you're free to indulge. The recipes in this chapter are nothing like your traditional store-bought products made from starchy, sugary, artificial ingredients. They're made from real foods.
Whether your pleasure is basic condiments, dipping sauces, pesto, or even succulent salsa, you've come to the right place. These recipes give you all the taste without any of the refined junk.
Separating Good Calories from Bad
If you shy away from luscious extras like sauces and dressings because you fear those extra calories, think about this: All calories aren't created equal. The most-fattening foods in the grocery store aren't the ones with the most calories; they're the ones that wreak havoc on your blood sugar and insulin levels â the really poor-quality carbohydrates. When you eat Paleo-approved foods made from high-quality, real ingredients, you don't get that intense, constant insulin spike.
The point to grab onto is that the number
of calories you consume is less important than the quality of the calories. Cutting out Paleo-friendly sauces and dressings is less productive than watching your intake of grains, fruit juices, and all that processed food in crinkly colorful packages.
Ghee
Prep time:
5 min â¢
Cook time:
15 min â¢
Yield:
3
â
4
cup
Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter, preferably from grass-fed cows
Directions
1
Place a fine mesh strainer on top of a heat-safe bowl or measuring cup and tuck a triple layer of cheesecloth in the strainer.
2
Melt the butter in a medium pan over low heat. When the surface of the butter resembles foam and the milk solids have turned a deep golden brown (about 8 to 10 minutes), remove the pan from the heat.
3
Carefully strain the ghee through the cheesecloth.
4
Discard the milk solids left in the cheesecloth and store the ghee in a sealed glass jar.
Per serving (1 tablespoon):
Calories 136 (From Fat 135); Fat 15g (Saturated 10g); Cholesterol 41mg; Sodium 2mg; Carbohydrate 0g (Dietary Fiber 0g); Protein 0g.
Note:
Ghee is a versatile lactose- and casein-free, high-heat cooking fat that's deliciously nutty and shelf-stable for months.
Recipe courtesy Michelle Tam, author of Nom Nom Paleo (http://nomnompaleo.com)
This recipe has been vetted by the team at Whole9 (http://whole9life.com) and is considered acceptable for a cleansing 30-day Paleo launch.
Ghee: The better butter
For people who are sensitive to dairy or who've just decided to ditch dairy, choosing ghee over grass-fed butter is a smart option.
Ghee
is butter with all the milk solids removed. This elimination takes any problems you may have with dairy sensitivities off the table. The ghee recipe in this chapter is simple to make, but if you decide you want to buy some premade ghee to keep on hand when you're in a pinch, I recommend the Pure Indian Foods brand (www.pureindianfoods.com) because of its high standard for quality.
Moroccan Dipping Sauce
Prep time:
5 min â¢
Yield:
1
â
2
cup
Ingredients
Juice of 2 lemons
1 clove garlic, minced
1
â
2
teaspoon ground cumin
1
â
4
teaspoon sweet, hot, or smoked paprika
Pinch of ground cayenne pepper
1
â
2
teaspoon salt
1
â
4
teaspoon pepper
1
â
3
cup extra-virgin olive oil
1
â
2
cup fresh cilantro leaves, minced
1
â
2
cup fresh parsley leaves, minced
Directions
1
In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, garlic, cumin, paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper.
2
Continue whisking as you stream in the oil, then stir in the cilantro and parsley.
3
Serve at room temperature or refrigerate it if you're not going to eat it within the hour. It keeps for two or three days in the fridge without diminishing its flavor.
Per serving (1 tablespoon):
Calories 84 (From Fat 81); Fat 9g (Saturated 1g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 148mg; Carbohydrate 1g (Dietary Fiber 0.5g); Protein 0g.
Recipe courtesy Melissa Joulwan, author of Well Fed: Paleo Recipes for People Who Love to Eat and The Clothes Make the Girl (www.theclothesmakethegirl.com)
This recipe has been vetted by the team at Whole9 (http://whole9life.com) and is considered acceptable for a cleansing 30-day Paleo launch.
Sri Lankan Curry Sauce
Prep time:
5 min â¢
Cook time:
20 min â¢
Yield:
2
1
â
2
cups
Ingredients
2 medium jalapeño peppers, seeds and ribs removed
1
â
4
cup unsweetened shredded coconut
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1
1
â
2
teaspoons ground cumin
1
â
2
teaspoon ground ginger
3
â
4
teaspoon salt
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
3
â
4
cup coconut milk, divided
1 tablespoon coconut oil
3 medium carrots, grated (about 2 cups)
Two 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes
Directions
1
In a blender or small food processor, blend the jalapeños, coconut, coriander, cinnamon, cumin, ginger, salt, garlic, and
1
â
4
cup water until you have a smooth paste. Remove to a medium bowl and stir in
1
â
2
cup of the coconut milk.
2
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes. Melt the coconut oil in the skillet and add the carrots. Sauté, stirring with a wooden spoon, until they're tender, about 3 minutes.
3
Add the tomatoes and their juice to the carrots. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to simmer, stirring occasionally and crushing the tomato chunks with the back of the spoon.
4
Cook 7 to 10 minutes until the sauce thickens and the vegetables are soft.
5
Stir the spice paste into the tomato mixture and add the remaining coconut milk. Stir to combine, and then remove from the heat. Use immediately or store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Per serving (1 tablespoon):
Calories 92 (From Fat 58); Fat 7g (Saturated 6g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 424mg; Carbohydrate 8g (Dietary Fiber 2g); Protein 1.5g.
Tip:
Try this sauce with steamed vegetables and your meat of choice.
Recipe courtesy Melissa Joulwan, author of Well Fed: Paleo Recipes for People Who Love to Eat and The Clothes Make the Girl (www.theclothesmakethegirl.com)
This recipe has been vetted by the team at Whole9 (http://whole9life.com) and is considered acceptable for a cleansing 30-day Paleo launch.
Tangy Carrot and Ginger Salad Dressing
Prep time:
5 min â¢
Cook time:
5 min â¢
Yield:
3
â
4
cup
Ingredients
1
â
2
cup apple cider vinegar
2 large carrots, diced
1-inch knob of fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
2 scallions, white parts only
1 teaspoon kosher Dijon mustard
1
â
3
cup Olive Oil Mayo
Kosher salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Directions
1
Combine the vinegar, carrots, ginger, scallions, and mustard in a blender on high speed until liquefied. There may still be bits of carrot in the dressing, which is fine.
2
Add the mayonnaise and blend on low until emulsified. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Per serving (1 tablespoon):
Calories 48 (From Fat 40); Fat 4.5g (Saturated 0.5g); Cholesterol 7mg; Sodium 90mg; Carbohydrate 2.5g (Dietary Fiber 0.5g); Protein 0.5g.
Tip:
If you prefer your dressing a bit sweeter, add a touch of honey in Step 1. You can find the recipe for Olive Oil Mayo later in this chapter.
Recipe courtesy Michelle Tam, author of Nom Nom Paleo (http://nomnompaleo.com)
This recipe has been vetted by the team at Whole9 (http://whole9life.com) and is considered acceptable for a cleansing 30-day Paleo launch.
Smooth and Creamy Avocado Dressing
Prep time:
10 min â¢
Yield:
3
â
4
cup
Ingredients
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and cubed
1
â
2
cucumber, roughly chopped
1
â
2
cup olive oil
1
â
4
cup honey
3 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
Directions
1
Blend all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Adjust the salt, cayenne (if desired), and vinegar to taste. Serve immediately.