The Frugal Paleo Cookbook: Affordable, Easy & Delicious Paleo Cooking
208
The Frugal Paleo Cookbook: Affordable, Easy & Delicious Paleo Cooking
208eBook
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Overview
SAVE MONEY&STAY GLUTEN-FREE WITH THESE EASY, DELICIOUS PALEO RECIPES
For those on the Paleo diet, one of the biggest concerns isn't the variety but the price. Luckily, Ciarra Hannah, creator of PopularPaleo.com, has 100 easy, wallet-friendly Paleo recipes that'll feed the whole family.
Ciarra uses flavorful but less expensive cuts of meat in traditional yet approachable cooking methods, as well as her roll-forward technique for creating multiple dishes to maximize your time in the kitchen. You'll love her keys to budgeting, tips for making items ahead of time, 5-ingredients-or-less seasoning blends and other money-saving pointers.
Ciarra offers an incredible and practical selection of Paleo dishes for everyday eating including Tequila Carnitas, Stupid Easy Asian Beef, Chicken&Chorizo Stew, Cuban Tilapia in Mojo and?Tater Tot Casserole with Sweet Potato Tater Tots! So, if you're loving the Paleo diet but hating the amount of money you spend each month, this book is a must-have. Save your money, enjoy tasty grain-free meals and be healthy!
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781624140891 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Page Street Publishing |
| Publication date: | 12/02/2014 |
| Sold by: | Macmillan |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 208 |
| File size: | 27 MB |
| Note: | This product may take a few minutes to download. |
About the Author
CIARRA HANNAH is the creator of PopularPaleo.com. Ciarra's recipes can be found on Mark's Daily Apple, StupidEasyPaleo.com and PaleoParents.com. She lives in Tacoma, Washington.
Read an Excerpt
The Frugal Paleo Cookbook
Affordable, Easy & Delicious Paleo Cooking
By Ciarra Hannah, Bill Bettencourt
Page Street Publishing Co.
Copyright © 2014 Ciarra HannahAll rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-62414-089-1
CHAPTER 1
BEEF AND LAMB
There is such an opportunity to save money with beef! Sure there's tenderloin, filet mignon or a monster porterhouse to nosh on, but they come with premium price tags no matter which way you slice it. We're going to wander away from the budget-breakers and find some shanks and shoulders!
Before we hit the grocery store, remember that quality matters. There's a big nutritive difference between cows that eat soy- and grain-based feed and cows that are pastured, eating lots of grass and soaking up sunshine. When animals eat and live the way they were meant to, we all reap the benefits. In order for us to get critical vitamins, minerals and essential acids from beef, those cows have got to eat grass. Grain- and soy-based feeds do little to nourish cattle, rendering their meat near vacant of important nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), B and E vitamins, iron and zinc. Consider the cost of purchasing all of those supplements separately. Why not eat grass-fed beef and save yourself the trip to the supplement store? Maximize your meat; eat pastured.
Now let's talk about driving your dinner home with a flavor punch! The best ways to draw out flavor from budget-friendly cuts are roasting, grilling and, in particular, braising. Braising and affordable cuts of meat are a match made in culinary heaven. The low and slow cooking process relaxes those tight connective tissues and lets juices flow, giving you incredible depth of flavor and juicy, tender meat. And that, my friends, is never a bad thing.
And while we're on the subject of getting the best bang for our buck, lest we not forget the hidden jewels of our bovine friends: offal and marrow. Stay with me now. You may not be ready to take such a big leap in your Tuesday night cuisine, but I have a couple of recipes that might nudge you a little closer to the edge. Not only are these cuts easy on the wallet, they are incredibly nourishing! Did you know that gram for gram, beef liver from pastured cows contains more than 18 times the folate found in an apple? Somebody grab me an onion!
It's time to make the most of our beef.
BEEF STROGANOFF
One of the freedoms that comes with the Paleo diet is breaking away from the notion that meaty sauces must be paired with a starch to form a complete dish. That being said, I love to eat this Beef Stroganoff with crunchy kelp noodles, though it is equally fantastic with spaghetti squash. I'm also just as satisfied warming this up for breakfast the next day with a fried over-easy egg on top. If you're a fan of batch cooking for saving time and money, be sure to put this recipe on the rotation!
Serves 6 to 8
2 tbsp (30 g) lard or preferred Paleo-friendly fat
1 large (about 4 inches [10 cm]) white or yellow onion, diced
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups (225 g) white mushrooms, sliced
2 lb (908 g) grass-fed ground beef
1 tsp (5 g) dried oregano
1 tsp (5 g) dried thyme
1 tsp (5 g) coarse sea salt
Black pepper, to taste
2 tbsp (30 mL) apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp (30 mL) arrowroot flour
2 cups (474 mL) almond milk
Sliced almonds, for garnish (optional)
Building the stroganoff will be done in layers starting with the big flavor players: onion and garlic. I prefer to use a Dutch oven for this recipe, but any large high-sided skillet or heavy-bottomed pan will do. Heat it up to medium-high and melt a couple of tablespoons (about 30 to 45 mL) of lard or your preferred Paleo-friendly fat, such as tallow, duck fat, or coconut, olive or avocado oil. Bacon grease would not be wrong here.
Add the onion, garlic and mushrooms first. Cook and stir until the onion is translucent, the garlic fragrant and the mushrooms lightly caramelized, about 7 to 9 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.
In the same pan over medium-high heat, replenish the fat if it has dried out any and drop in the beef along with the dry seasonings (oregano, thyme, sea salt and black pepper) and the apple cider vinegar. Cook until the beef has browned. Depending on the amount of moisture in the beef, there may or may not be juice in the pan rendered from the beef once it has cooked through. If there is an excess, do not drain! Move to the next step and consider the extra juices as a flavor bonus for the sauce.
When nearly done, dust the beef with the arrowroot flour. Be sure to mix well so the arrowroot doesn't sit in any pools of rendered fat and juices. Arrowroot is a tricky ingredient and will gel with liquid. We want that thickening to happen in this next step.
Return the onion, garlic and mushrooms to the pan and mix with the beef. Then slowly pour in the almond milk. That arrowroot flour will start to thicken the sauce now. Simmer on medium-low heat, uncovered, until the sauce reaches desired thickness, usually just another 5 to 10 minutes.
Transfer to a large serving bowl or spoon on top of your choice of vegetable or Paleo-friendly noodles in individual serving bowls. Garnish with some sliced almonds on top if you like, but consider it optional since sliced almonds are not always affordable.
SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALL STEW
Say what?! Yep, spaghetti and meatballs ... made into stew. It's one way this Italian mama gets to enjoy a favorite childhood meal. This is hearty, loaded with vegetables and brimming with nourishing bone broth. It's everything I want in a meal. Another perk to this recipe? It makes excellent leftovers for lunch the next day. Cook once, eat at least twice. #winning
Serves 6
FOR THE MEATBALLS
1 lb (454 g) grass-fed ground beef
12 to 16 oz (340 to 454 g) pastured ground pork
½ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp garlic powder
1 egg
FOR THE SOUP
3 tbsp (45 mL) extra virgin olive oil
1 ½ cups (225 g) diced yellow onions
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup (150 g) diced carrots
2 cups (450 g) chopped kale
1 tsp (5 g) dried basil
½ tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch of red-pepper flakes
1 (28 oz [794 g]) can organic crushed tomatoes
1 (14.5 oz [411 g]) can organic diced tomatoes
3 cups (711 mL) beef bone broth, homemade preferred
1 (14.5 oz [411 g]) can organic cut green beans
3 small zucchini
Fresh basil or flat-leaf Italian parsley, for garnish (optional)
Let's start with the meatballs. Mix all of the listed ingredients together by hand and roll into equal-size meatballs. You should get 12.
Prepare the vegetables as described and open up the cans, setting everything aside, ready for the soup.
Break out your Dutch oven or large, heavy-bottomed stockpot and heat to medium-high. Add the olive oil to get the pan started. Arrange 4 to 6 meatballs in the pan and begin to brown them. Be sure not to overcrowd the pan or the meatballs will cause the temperature to decrease, resulting in soggy, steaming meatballs and not the crisp, brown crust we need.
Brown the meatballs on at least 2 sides—the centers should be raw; we just want to create a crust. This should take about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Set the browned meatballs aside for later. Repeat until all of the meatballs are browned.
Add a little more olive oil if the pan looks dry. Then toss in the onions, garlic, carrots, kale and dry seasonings (the basil, sea salt, cinnamon and red-pepper flakes). If you're not used to building sauces this way, it may appear a bit strange. This method releases the oils in the dried seasonings, yielding a more flavorful sauce.
When the carrots and kale have softened and the onions become translucent, add the meatballs back to the pot and cover with the canned crushed and diced tomatoes, beef broth and drained green beans. Stir gently and bring to a boil. After the stew bubbles for about 3 to 4 minutes, reduce the temperature to a simmer. Cover and let this stew bubble away for about 30 minutes. Stir just a couple of times during that 30 minutes.
While the stew finishes, grab those zucchini. Trim the ends off and divide them into thirds or about 2-inch sections. Using a spiral slicer or another tool for making quick julienne vegetables, run these zucchini through to make short "noodles."
Place about a cup or so (150 g) of raw zoodles (zucchini + noodle = zoodles) in the serving bowls, then ladle in 1 or 2 meatballs and some spaghetti stew. Zoodles overcook easily, so I find that adding them raw directly to the bowl (rather than to the pot) keeps them crisp and their texture more like pasta.
Top with fresh basil or parsley, if you like.
SLOW COOKER ITALIAN BEEF
Some days are just meant for slow cookers. We all have them. So when that day comes, toss this easy beef recipe into the slow cooker, set your timer and tackle the demands of the day with the comfort of knowing you will have a delicious meal awaiting you when it has all been accomplished.
Serves 6
2 ½ to 3 lb (1.1 to 1.4 kg) beef chuck roast
2 cups (400 g) chopped carrots
1 small white or yellow onion, sliced
4 to 5 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp (5 g) kosher salt
1 tsp (3 g) garlic powder
1 tsp (3 g) dried basil
1 tsp (3 g) dried oregano
½ tsp dried thyme
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch of red-pepper flakes
1 cup (237 mL) organic crushed tomatoes
1 cup (237 mL) homemade beef stock (here)
1 tbsp (13 g) tomato paste
Prepare the beef by trimming off excess fat and cutting the roast into 3- to 4-inch (7.5 to 10 cm) chunks. Place the beef into the slow cooker and move on to the vegetables.
Toss the prepared carrots, onion and garlic in the slow cooker with the beef. Then add the seasonings: kosher salt, garlic powder, basil, oregano, thyme, cinnamon and red-pepper flakes.
Pour in the tomatoes and beef stock. Add the tomato paste and give everything a good stir.
Cover the slow cooker, set to low and cook for 5 to 6 hours. Serve the beef over roasted spaghetti squash with a side of green beans for a low-maintenance meal.
ULTIMATE TACO MEAT
As a mom, when it comes to dinnertime, my first goal is to get my kids to eat as many veggies as possible. My second goal is to feed our family nutritious homemade meals from whole ingredients without breaking the bank. That makes this recipe my go-to, Monday night, need-something-on-the-table-quick-that-everyone-will-love recipe. I use only a pound of grass-fed ground beef but pack it with nearly 6 cups (800 g) of 5 different vegetables! This recipe sure isn't fancy, though I'll bet it's the one that gets made regularly.
Serves 2 to 4
2 to 3 tbsp (30 to 45 mL) bacon grease, lard or coconut oil
1 cup (150 g) diced onion
1 cup (175 g) diced zucchini
1 cup (175 g) chopped bell pepper
½ cup (100 g) diced carrots
2 cups (200 g) chopped kale
1 tsp (5 g) kosher salt
1 lb (454 g) grass-fed ground beef
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 batch Taco Seasoning Blend (here)
Preheat a large skillet or heavy-bottomed pan to medium and melt your desired fat. I prefer lard and bacon grease to coconut oil in this dish flavor-wise, but coconut is so good for you, it would still be fine to use if you are accustomed to the flavor.
Add the onion, zucchini, bell pepper, carrots and kale to the hot pan along with the kosher salt. Cook and stir until the vegetables are almost tender, about 7 to 9 minutes.
Dump the par-cooked vegetables in a large bowl and set aside. Return the pan to the heat and add a tablespoon (15 mL) of additional fat if the pan has dried out at all. When the pan is back up to temp at medium heat, cook the ground beef, garlic and Taco Seasoning Blend until the beef is browned, 10 to 12 minutes. This may look like a lot of seasoning, but it is meant to also flavor the vegetables. It's going to be the right amount for the overall dish.
When the ground beef is nearly done, return the par-cooked vegetables to the pan and continue cooking together for another 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are fully cooked. (Hint: Judge this by the doneness of the carrots. They're the veggie that will take the longest.) Serve right away or divide into storage containers for premade protein to be used within the next 5 days.
TIP: Ultimate Taco Meat can be used in so many ways and is an excellent recipe to include in your weekly food prep. I love to reheat some to put over leafy greens with fresh guacamole for an easy weekday lunch. You'll love this recipe!
OPEN-FACED GREEK SLIDERS
From the roasted portobello "bun" to the crown jewel of fresh and tangy salad, there is no question that you are in for triple layers of flavor! This is how you make fancy food like lamb taste fantastic for a fraction of what you'd spend on the premium cuts. Pair this bold dish with Mushroom Diavolo (here) and Zoodles with Chilies and Vinegar (here) for a first-round TKO against bland meals.
Serves 4
FOR THE SLIDERS
4 portobello mushrooms
1 tbsp (15 mL) extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
FOR THE BURGERS
1 lb (454 g) ground lamb
¼ cup (10 g) chopped fresh mint
1 tsp (5 g) paprika
½ tsp sea salt
6 to 7 grinds black pepper
Optional: 1 tsp (5 mL) extra virgin olive oil, if cooking burgers on the stovetop
FOR THE TOPPING
1 tsp (5 mL) balsamic vinegar
2 tsp (10 mL) extra virgin olive oil
Pinch of sea salt
1 cup (38 g) organic baby spinach
4 (¼ inch [6 mm]) slices red onion (cut in half to make strips, not rings)
Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Grab the portobello mushrooms and clean off any dirt using a dry kitchen towel. Resist the temptation to wet the towel. If you were to use a wet towel, the mushroom would absorb the moisture like a sponge; resist. Start from the top center of the cap and gently brush toward the outer edge. That's it.
Use a spoon to remove the gills and stems, then lightly brush both sides of each cap with the olive oil and season the gill side with a pinch of sea salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Lay the portobellos gill side up on a baking sheet lined with foil, parchment or a silicone mat. Roast for 20 minutes, turning them over once at the 10-minute mark.
When the portobellos are finished roasting, take them off the baking sheet and place them on a serving dish to await their burger counterparts.
While the mushrooms are roasting, combine all of the ingredients for the burgers thoroughly by hand and divide into 4 equal sections. Shape into patties and set aside.
The burgers can be grilled or cooked on the stovetop in a skillet. For the grill option, preheat the grill to at least 450°F (232°C) and place the lamb patties on the grate. Grill over direct heat for about 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium doneness. The same general rules apply for the stovetop, except add a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil to the skillet so the burgers don't stick. Cook the burgers over medium-high heat for about 4 to 5 minutes per side.
Whether stovetop or grill, while the lamb burgers cook, dress the simple salad. Whisk the vinegar, olive oil and sea salt together in a small bowl. In another bowl, toss the baby spinach and red onion slices together. Drizzle with the vinegar mixture. Toss again to coat the salad with the dressing. Set aside.
Retrieve the burgers and place on the waiting roasted portobellos. Top each burger with a handful of fresh salad and serve fresh.
PÂTÉ FOR ROOKIES
Organ meats are little jewels in the Paleo world. Few items on your menu will contain as much nutrition per bite as kidney, heart and liver. Unfortunately, they are not always the most palatable options. Enter pâté. Pâté gives us the opportunity to season up liver and play with the texture a little bit. Since liver is on the bitter side, I've balanced that with the sweetness of nutrient-dense prunes. Trust me, it works. If you are new to pâté, or organ meats in general, give this one a try. This is the best pâté I've ever had!
Yields 1 cup (200 g)
½ cup (75 g) diced yellow onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp dried thyme
6 prunes (about 1/3 cup [40 g])
1 tbsp (15 mL) apple cider vinegar
Pinch of red-pepper flakes
1 bay leaf
2 tbsp (30 g) ghee
8 oz (230 g) calf's liver, cubed
½ tsp coarse sea salt
6 grinds black pepper
In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the onion, garlic, thyme, prunes, vinegar, red-pepper flakes and bay leaf in the ghee, stirring often, until fragrant. Add the calf's liver along with the sea salt and pepper and cook for 4 to 5 minutes.
Remove and discard the bay leaf. Transfer the liver mixture to a food processor. Puree until completely smooth.
Transfer to an airtight container and chill in the refrigerator. Serve cold.
GROUND BEEF STIR-FRY WITH WILTED NAPA CABBAGE
There are times when I want the taste of stir-fry, but I don't want to mess with slicing and searing thin cuts of beef. Ground beef makes a great and affordable substitute! When it's piled on top of quickly prepared napa cabbage, a full meal hits my table in under a half hour.
Serves 4 to 6
2 to 3 tbsp (30 to 45 g) lard, bacon grease or coconut oil (see note)
2 lb (908 g) grass-fed ground beef
1 (8 oz [116 g]) can sliced water chestnuts
½ cup (75 g) sliced bamboo shoots, cut into matchsticks
1 inch (2.5 cm) fresh gingerroot, peeled and cut into matchsticks
4 cloves garlic, minced
¾ cup (177 mL) coconut aminos
Pinch of black pepper
2 tbsp (20 g) sesame seeds, plus
1 tsp (4 g) for garnish
1 head napa cabbage, sliced across the grain
½ cup (25 g) thinly sliced green onions
This stir-fry comes together quickly since both components of the meal—the ground beef and the napa cabbage—cook simultaneously. For some of you, that's good news. For others, it might come across as confusing. I'll break the directions down into separate pans and you decide if you want to wing them at the same time or prep the ground beef first, then move on to the cabbage.
Ground beef pan: Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and melt 2 tablespoons (30 g) of your preferred fat from above. Add the ground beef and begin to cook. After about 5 to 6 minutes, when the beef is halfway done, add the water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, ginger and 3 cloves of the minced garlic. Cook until the meat has completely browned, another 5 minutes or so. Add ½ cup (118 mL) of the coconut aminos, a pinch of black pepper and 2 tablespoons (20 g) of the sesame seeds. Simmer for 7 minutes, or until most of the coconut aminos have reduced.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from The Frugal Paleo Cookbook by Ciarra Hannah, Bill Bettencourt. Copyright © 2014 Ciarra Hannah. Excerpted by permission of Page Street Publishing Co..
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
Contents
Praise for The Frugal Paleo Cookbook,Title Page,
Copyright Notice,
Dedication,
Foreword,
Introduction,
BEEF AND LAMB,
POULTRY,
PORK,
SEAFOOD,
EGGS,
VEGETABLES,
A FEW BASICS,
Acknowledgments,
About the Author,
Index,
Copyright,