Minced Pork, Bacon and Cauliflower

Instead of having bacon and eggs, I thought I would try something different and this worked really well. This would also make a fabulous evening meal.  Treat it like you would bircher muesli and put everything together the night before, so all you have to do is cook it in the morning, or in the microwave at work for lunch.  The recipe below is for one person, increase quantities to serve more people. Add some grated apple for a nice layer of flavour.

I used:

• 50gms pork mince (ground pork)
• 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
• 2 rashers bacon, finely sliced
• 1 floret cauliflower, chopped into very small pieces
• a sprinkle of cinnamon
• salt and pepper

Bring a small non-stick frying pan to a medium heat, add the ginger and bacon and stir around to season the pan.  Next add the pork mince, cauliflower, cinnamon and a touch of salt and pepper, cook 3-4 minutes until pork is cooked all the way through.

Serve with a poached egg and some cashew butter.

Enjoy!

Quick Pork Stir-fry in Lettuce

This is one of my “Go To” meals, taking less than 15 minutes to prepare and cook.  Nomnom Paleo has the base recipe used here as a Garbage Stir-Fry which I have posted earlier on in the year.  Look her up, she has some excellent recipes following her Whole30 journey meal by meal.  This is another great recipe which can be cooked up the night before and eaten cold the next day as a salad or reheated for lunch.

I used:

• 50gms minced pork (ground pork)
• 1 clove garlic, finely diced
• 2 rashers bacon, finely sliced
• 1 floret cauliflower, chopped into very small pieces
• 1 floret broccoli, chopped into very small pieces
• 1/2 a carrot, grated
• 6 raw, usalted cashews, chopped into very small pieces
• 2-3 tsps coconut aminos seasoning
• Lettuce leaves for serving
• 1 tsp Coconut oil for cooking
• salt and pepper

Bring a frying pan to a medium heat, add the coconut oil.  Coat the pan with the oil, then add the garlic, bacon, salt and pepper, cook for 1-2 minutes and then add the pork, cooking 1-2 minutes.  Next add the cauliflower, broccoli, carrot and cashews and cook 2-3 minutes or until the pork is cooked.  Just before serving, add 2 tsps of the coconut aminos seasoning.  Place into the lettuce leaves and drizzle with a little extra coconut aminos seasoning.

Serve and enjoy!

 

Bolognaise in a Lettuce Cup

Just like Spaghetti Bolognaise, but served in lettuce leaves! This sauce is so versatile, particularly if you are needing to feed the family – it is easy to put together, cost effective and paleo/Whole30 friendly.  This sauce reheats really well, so make a big batch and have for dinner the next night or lunch the next day.  The recipe below will serve 4 (or 3 very hungry people!).

I used:

• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 brown onion, chopped
• 2 rashers bacon, sugar free and pastured, finely sliced
• 500gms premium beef mince (as lean as possible)
• 1 cup (250ml) beef stock (I used Essentials Cuisine, as it is sugar free and only beef and tomato paste)
• 1 large flat brown mushroom, finely sliced
• 2tbs tomato paste (I used Zito Organic, from the health food section of Pak n Save)
• 3 tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 3/4 cup of broccoli florets, chopped
• Lettuce leaves

Bring a heavy based fry pan to a medium heat, add a little olive oil then the garlic and onion, cooking 1-2 minutes before adding the bacon and cooking a further 2 minutes.  Next add the beef mince, using your fingers to break it up as you go and cook until just browned, then add the beef stock.  Simmer the sauce for 5 minutes, then add the chopped tomatoes and cook a further 5 minutes.  Next add tomato paste, stir in well and finally add the mushroom and broccoli florets.  Gently simmer a further 5-7 minutes or until the sauce becomes nice and thick.

To serve, place lettuce in the bottom of a bowl and place the bolognaise sauce inside the cup.

Enjoy!

Lamb Meatballs, Chunky Kumara and Homemade Tomato Sauce

This is definitely one the kids will love.  This dish will easily serve 4 people, add some bacon wrapped prawns to flesh it out and serve this as finger food for your next dinner party!

I used:

• 1 large Kumara (sweet potato), scrubbed clean and cut into chunks
• 400gms premium lamb mince (little to no fat)
• 2 cloves garlic, finely diced
• 1 brown onion, finely diced
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp ground coriander seeds
• 2 tbs fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• salt and pepper
• olive oil

Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees celcius.  Scrub the kumara and cut into thick chunks.  Toss through some olive oil, salt and pepper.  Place on a tinfoil covered baking tray, evenly spaced and cook for 20-25 minutes.

Next make the meatball mixture.  In a large mixing bowl, combine the lamb, egg, cumin, coriander seeds, parsley, salt and pepper.  You will need to knead the mixture for a couple of minutes to bind the proteins together.  Heat a heavy based frying pan to a medium heat, add a healthy amount of olive oil.  Roll the lamb mixture into small balls and cook in batches, draining on a paper towel to remove the excess oil.

TOMATO BASED DIPPING SAUCE

• 1 can Italian chopped tomatoes
• 1 brown onion, finely diced
• 3 garlic cloves, finely diced
• 4 tbs basil, roughly chopped
• salt and pepper
• olive oil

Bring a medium sized saucepan to a medium heat, add the olive oil and cook the onions, garlic, salt and pepper until soft.  Add the chopped tomatoes and reduce the sauce by half, simmering on a low heat for 20 minutes.  Stir through the fresh basil just before serving.  You can also grate parmesan cheese into the sauce just before serving for an added element of flavour.

 

Enjoy!

10 Minute Stir-fry

This stir-fry is from Nomnom Paleo’s blog, if you haven’t seen her recipes, pay her site a visit.  She has some awesome ideas, but this is one of my favourites.  You can add any vegies or meat combination you like here, keep the pieces small and it will cook nice and fast.

I used:

• 250gms beef mince (premium with little to no fat, pastured)
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 small courgette, grated
• 1 small carrot, grated
• 2 large spinach or silverbeet leaves, finely sliced
• 1 cup of cauliflower and broccoli florets, chopped into small pieces
• 1 spring onion, finely sliced
• 2 tbs coconut milk
• 1 tbs red or green thai curry paste (add more to make it spicier)
• olive oil or coconut oil
• small handful of raw cashews

Heat a little olive or coconut oil in a wok or frying pan to med-high heat.  While the wok or frying pan is heating, chop the garlic, broccoli and cauliflower.  Add the garlic, thai curry paste and a small amount of the coconut milk to the wok and fry off a little.

Once the pan has been seasoned with the flavours, add the beef mince.  You may need to add a little water to stop the mince from sticking.  Keep tossing through with a fish slice.

Next add the broccoli and cauliflower and cook 2-3 mins.  While the vegies are cooking, grate the carrot and courgette and finely slice the spinach and spring onion.  Add the remainder of the coconut milk, then the grated carrot and courgette and finally the spinach and spring onion.  Toss through until the spinach is wilted.

Serve in bowls with whole or crushed raw cashews on top.  You can also serve this on a bed of kumara and cauliflower mash (simply boil kumara and cauliflower together and mash with salt and olive oil), it is so nice and sweet and really sets the spice of the dish off nicely.

Enjoy!

Paleo Friendly Nachoes

So I felt like something a bit naughty, it was Friday night after all! No wine in sight, so I made these which were well received!

Cook 500 gms beef mince in a little olive oil, with garlic, onion, paprika and a little salt and pepper.

Meanwhile make the guacamole. Mash 2 ripe avocadoes, add 1 tbs lemon juice, some salt and pepper, 1 finely diced red onion, 1 finely diced ripe tomato and mix. Put into the fridge.

Wash a kumara or sweet potato and finely slice. Toss in a little olive oil and a pinch of salt and bake in the oven 200 degree celcius for 20 mins or until well cooked (as they will replace the corn chips).

Place the sweet potato chips around the plate, pop the mince in the middle and guacomole on top. Enjoy!