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Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs

Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs are quick, simple and perfectly cooked every time! Learn how to make soft boiled, medium, or hard boiled eggs in the instant pot to use in your favorite hard boiled egg recipes.

Hard boiled eggs in the instant pot are easy peel (especially farm-fresh eggs) and ideal for these Easter egg chicks or these tasty guacamole stuffed eggs!

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs:

For years, we only made stove-top hard boiled eggs until we discovered the instant pot. This method is quick and easy whether you are making 2 eggs or a dozen hard boiled eggs. It is so easy to make batch after batch. The results are always consistent which means no more over-cooked green egg yolks!

Finally! Easy Peel Hard Boiled Eggs:

The instant pot is the best way to Hard Boil Farm-Fresh Eggs because they are easy to peel. I used to hate boiling my Mom’s fresh eggs because half of the whites were lost with the shell after peeling. They were a mess and so ugly for deviled eggs. The instant pot is by far the best way to hard boil fresh farm eggs because cooking the eggs in a pressure cooker makes them easy to peel.

Tips for the Best Instant Pot Eggs:

Timings below are for large eggs. For medium eggs, reduce cook time by 1 minute and increase by 1 minute for extra large eggs.

Start with refrigerated eggs.

It’s ok to stack eggs on the rack, but eggs should not touch the water or walls of the instant pot.

Transfer cooked eggs to a bowl of ice water right away to prevent overcooking.

We use a 6 Qt 7-in-1 Instant Pot Duo. You may need to experiment timings using a smaller or larger pressure cooker.

How to Hard Boil Eggs in Instant Pot:

Place the wire rack (that comes with the instant pot) in the bowl of the instant pot. Add 1 cup water. Place 2-12 eggs on the rack (so they aren’t touching the water).

Secure the lid and set lever to “sealing.” Set to manual “high pressure” and set timer for desired doneness (5 min for soft boiled, 6-8 min for medium boiled, 9-10 minutes for hard boiled). Once instant pot reaches high pressure (which takes 5-6 minutes), your set timer will automatically start counting down.

As soon as your timer is up, use a hot mitt to switch the lever to “venting” position and a hot burst of steam will release. When pressure is fully released and the pressure indicator has dropped, remove lid, use tongs to transfer the hot eggs to a bowl of ice water and let rest 5 minutes to stop the cooking process.

How Long to Boil Eggs in the Instant Pot:

Instant Pot Soft Boiled Eggs: 5 minutes on high pressure was what it took for consistently fully cooked egg whites with a wet yolk. I’ve seen several tutorials say 4, 3 or even 2 minutes, but I found anything less than 5 minutes to have a portion of the whites still a little wet and more difficult to peel.

Medium Boiled Eggs: A range of 6-8 minutes seemed to all produced medium boiled eggs. These have fully cooked whites with a tender and somewhat creamy center.

Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs: It took from 9-10 minutes on high pressure with 10 minutes being a dry yolk – the ideal texture for making deviled eggs.

Safety Tips for Cooking Eggs in Instant Pot:

If you are new to the instant pot, read the owners manual and be sure to follow the use instructions for your specific model.

Always double check the pressure indicator popup has dropped indicating there is no more pressure behind it before opening the lid.

When releasing pressure, a surprisingly strong spurt of hot steam releases from the valve. Keep your face and others away from the machine while depressurizing.

Use tongs to remove the eggs because they will be blazing hot.

Must-Try Instant Pot Recipes:

I hope you give instant pot hard boiled eggs method a try. If you have farm fresh eggs or struggle with peeling, this easy peel hard boiled eggs method is keeper!

Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs

Prep Time: 1 minute

Cook Time: 9 minutes

Time to Reach Pressure: 5 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Instant pot hard boiled eggs are quick, simple and perfectly cooked every time! Learn how to make soft boiled, medium boiled or hard boiled eggs in the instant pot. Cook 2 to 12 eggs at a time.

Author: natashaskitchen

Skill Level: Easy

Cost to Make: Varies

Keyword: instant pot hard boiled eggs

Calories: 62 kcal

Servings: 12 hard boiled eggs

12 eggs (refrigerated)

1 cup water

Place wire rack (that comes with instant pot) in the bowl of the instant pot. Add 1 cup water.Arrange 2-12 eggs on the rack (so they aren't touching the water or bowl).

Secure the lid and set lever to "sealing" position. Cook on manual "high pressure" and set timer for desired doneness (5 min for soft boiled, 6-8 min for medium, 9-10 minutes for hard boiled eggs). Once instant pot reaches high pressure (which takes 5-6 minutes), your set timer will automatically start counting down.

As soon as your timer is up, use a hot mitt to switch the lever to "venting" position (a hot burst of steam will release). When pressure is fully released and pressure indicator has drops, remove lid and use tongs to transfer hot eggs to a bowl of ice water for 5 minutes before peeling.

Nutrition Facts

Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs

Amount Per Serving

Calories 62 Calories from Fat 36

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 4g 6%

Saturated Fat 1g 5%

Cholesterol 163mg 54%

Sodium 62mg 3%

Potassium 60mg 2%

Protein 5g 10%

Vitamin A 4.8%

Calcium 2.5%

Iron 4.3%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen

Source: https://natashaskitchen.com/instant-pot-hard-boiled-eggs/

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Penne with Mushrooms and Turkey Sausage

I’m trying to get ready for Maui which is totally unlike me. Planning for a trip that’s weeks away? My friends and family would have their jaw on the ground if they read this. (P.S. I’m hoping they read this/my blog.) I’m much more the type to pack the evening before or morning of.

More visible to my husband is the number of packages arriving at our door each day. Old Navy, Nordstrom Rack, Amazon, Zappos, and more Amazon. There may be more. But you see, much of it is being returned.

“Why do you buy so much only to return it?” asks the man who sees no need for a store beyond Kohls. “Because there is ZERO shopping near us, my dear. This is how I shop.” I respond. Literally, the last store in our “mall” (I’ll use that term loosely) announced its closing this week and the community is not shocked.

The reality for me is that the convenience and selection with online shopping will always trump going in person. I’m just not that girl, what can I say? All I’m hoping is that I can throw together some cute outfits in Maui while keeping in just 1 large, checked bag. That should be a challenge given how long we’re gone, but a blessing that our resort has free laundry service.

I’ve gotten increasingly more lazy when it comes to grocery shopping, too. Delivered groceries brings me such joy! Yes, my tomato paste never made it into my pantry (and subsequently not into my chili) after my last delivery (confirmed on the app as purchased and delivered), but my shopper was recently able to snag the dried mushrooms for this recipe which Mr. Prevention was just SURE they’d mess up.

This pasta was a hit with all the mushroom-y flavor, cheese, and savory sausage. As always, pasta is a hit in our house and this one satisfied the littles while offering knock-out flavor for the adults. A definite win-win!

Penne with Mushrooms and Turkey Sausage

Author: Nicole Morrissey

Prep time:  10 mins

Cook time:  30 mins

Total time:  40 mins

Serves: 6 servings (scant 2 cups each)

Ingredients

1 oz dried porcini mushrooms

¾ cup hot water

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

20 oz sweet Italian turkey sausages, casings removed

1 lb mushrooms, sliced

2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary

¼ tsp salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

⅓ cup dry white wine

1 bay leaf

¾ cup low-sodium chicken broth

12 oz uncooked whole wheat penne

1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

flat-leaf parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Instructions

Place the porcini mushrooms in a fine-mesh sieve and rinse well. Transfer to a small bowl. Pour the hot water over the porcini and let soak until softened, about 20 minutes. Drain the porcini, reserving the soaking liquid. Chop the porcini, discarding any hard stems.

Heat olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the sausage and increase the heat to high and cook, breaking up the meat, until no longer pink, about 6-7 minutes. Add the mushrooms, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Stir until the mushrooms begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the chopped porcinis, wine, and bay leaf; boil until almost all of the liquid evaporates, about 4 minutes. Add the broth and the porcini soaking liquid and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the mixture becomes syrupy, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta, stir, and cook until al dente, about 11 minutes. Drain the pasta, add to the pan with the sauce and stir until the sauce coats the pasta. Remove from the heat and stir in the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Garnish with parsley, if desired.

Nutrition Information

Serving size: scant 2 cups Calories: 496 Fat: 17.2 Carbohydrates: 49.5 Sugar: 4.3 Sodium: 849 Fiber: 7.3 Protein: 33.2 Cholesterol: 67

3.5.3251

Be well,

Source: https://preventionrd.com/2019/03/penne-with-mushrooms-and-turkey-sausage/

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Stir-fried Cucumber Side

When you think of cucumbers, what kinds of food do you think about first? We might think about a salad with fresh, crispy cucumbers. Or maybe you thought of sweet and sour cucumber pickles. Did anybody think about fried cucumbers? When I first heard the name “stir-fried cucumbers,” it was totally new to me and sounded a little strange. However, once I made a Korean cucumber stir-fry dish, I was attracted by the taste and unique texture. So, I will share my tasty recipe with you today. I’m going to use this cucumber side dish for my lunch box post next, so check it out too. 🙂

Yield: 1 Cup

Short Korean Lesson

DaeJang (대장) = Large Intestine

SoJang (소장) = Small Intestine

Video Instructions

The recipe starts at 1:57

Main Ingredients:

2 Cups Cucumber (½ lb)

½ Generous tsp Salt

1 tsp Garlic, Minced

1 tsp Sesame Oil

½ tsp Sesame Seeds

Directions

Obtain 1 seedless cucumber. Decoratively peel half of the skin off in strips, lengthwise.

Slice the cucumber very thinly into about 1/16 inch slices.

Sprinkle ½ generous tsp of salt over the cucumber and mix everything together.

Set it aside for about 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, the cucumbers will be soft. Squeeze out most of the liquid from the salted cucumbers. (I did not rinse the salted cucumbers in water.)

Discard the liquid.

Add 1 tsp of sesame oil in a heated nonstick pan.

Add the cucumbers and 1 tsp of minced garlic.

Fry it for about 3 minutes on high. Occasionally stir it.

After 3 minutes, turn off the heat and sprinkle ½ tsp of sesame seeds on top. Put this cucumber side-dish in a glass container, once it is cooled down, keep it in the refrigerator.

  It is done. 🙂 The fresh cucumber flavor turns into a nutty and pleasantly salty flavor with the sesame oil. The texture is a soft crunch, so it’s fun to chew. It tastes good both warm and cool, so if you are going to use it for later (for bibimbap, a side-dish for your lunch box, or just as a side for dinner), store it in the refrigerator. This will be good to enjoy for up to a week.

Source: http://aeriskitchen.com/2018/01/stir-fried-cucumber-side/

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Punjabi-Inspired Black Gram Dal

Cooking with dals is a fun experience for me in the kitchen, especially if they feature in an Indian-inspired creation, and I often go into the kitchen armed with only a scant idea of how I am going to cook the dals, with some thought beforehand in case I need to soak the dals ahead of time or require any additional items that I don't happen to have on hand already. Of course, this is not always the case, and many of the dal recipes that I make are well drafted and thought through in more detail and then revised as I cook.

But this Punjabi-inspired creation is an example of the former, knowing only that I wanted whole urad beans as the focal point of the dish as I have been quite smitten with them lately, and also wishing to prepare something easy for dinner that required little fuss. And so this earthy, creamy and nourishing urad bean dish was served up for dinner in hardly at time at all.

The smoky and spicy flavor and creamy texture of this dish is reminiscent of dal makhani, which is also Punjabi in origin but includes red kidney beans and sometime chana dal in addition to whole urad beans; typically it is served with a good swirl of heavy cream (or coconut milk to keep the dish vegetarian). Here I have included coconut milk in the spiced tomato gravy in which the beans are simmered because I was aiming for the same creamy texture that is so unique to dal makhani, but use more water or include another tomato if you are looking for something less creamy and slightly more tart.

Whole black urad beans, or black gram, are also known as black lentils, though black gram is not actually a lentil and should not be confused with beluga lentils. You can find them in any Indian grocer. The bean has a unique glutinous texture when cooked and should be soaked overnight to ensure that it cooks through. Black gram in this Punjabi-inspired creation adds a creamy and distinctive quality to the dish.

Punjabi-Inspired Black Gram DalRecipe by Lisa Turner Cuisine: Indian Published on February 25, 2019

Simple creamy black lentils simmered in a spicy and smoky tomato gravy

Print this recipe

Ingredients:

1 cup dried black gram (whole urad beans)

2 tablespoons oil or ghee

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced or crushed

1-inch fresh ginger, grated or minced

1 to 2 fresh red chilies, seeded and minced

small handful dried curry leaves, crumbled

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons Kashmiri or other chili powder, or to taste

2/3 teaspoon garam masala

2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped

2/3 cup coconut milk

3 cups water

1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste

chopped fresh parsley or cilantro, for garnish (optional)

Instructions:

Rinse the black gram and soak in enough water to cover for 6 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse when ready to cook.

Heat the oil or ghee in a large saucepan over medium heat. When hot, toss in the cumin seeds and stir for 1 minute, then add the onion. Sauté for about 5 minutes until the onion softens. Add the garlic, ginger, chilies and curry leaves, and cook for another few minutes. Add the turmeric, coriander, cumin, chili powder and garam masala, and stir for another minute until the spices are fragrant. Add the tomato and cook, stirring often, until the tomato begins to thicken, about 5 minutes.

Pour in the coconut milk and water and stir in the drained black gram. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the gram is tender — about 45 minutes. Add more water to the pan for a soupier dal.

Stir in the salt and adjust for seasonings. Garnish with fresh herbs and serve hot alongside fresh cooked white rice or flat breads and a vegetable side.

Makes 4 servings

Other dishes featuring black lentils: Classic Dal Makhani Classic Dal Makhani with a Vegan Twist Black and Yellow Chickpeas in a Sweet and Spicy Sauce

Source: https://foodandspice.blogspot.com/2019/02/punjabi-inspired-black-gram-dal.html

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Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice

Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice is a fall spice staple!  Made with cinnamon, ginger, allspice  and nutmeg, this is perfect for cakes, pies, and cookies.  

This spice is used in some of our favorite recipes including:  Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting, Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins, and Iced Pumpkin Spice Cookies!

Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice

My favorite time of the year is here!  Fall.  And that can only mean one thing for me, pumpkin recipes.  I am obsessed with all things pumpkin and making desserts is one of my favorite things to do.  There is nothing better than a pumpkin dessert topped with cream cheese frosting.  And pumpkin spice is called for in SO many recipes.  Today I am showing you how easy it is to make your own pumpkin pie spice mix and it is perfect for having on hand and so simple to make!

What is pumpkin pie spice made of?

cinnamon

nutmeg

ginger

allspice

How do you make homemade pumpkin pie spice?

To start, add cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and allspice to a small bowl.  Mix the spices together and store in an airtight container until ready to use.

What is the difference between allspice and pumpkin pie spice?

Pie Spice Blends.  These spice mixes typically contain a mixture of allspice and other spices and are similar in flavor.  Pumpkin Pie Spice blends allspice with cinnamon, allspice, ginger, and nutmeg.  Allspice is used in creating pumpkin pie spice.

What recipes can I use pumpkin pie spice in?

Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice

Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice is a fall spice staple!  Made with cinnamon, ginger, clove, and nutmeg, this is perfect for cakes, pies, and cookies.

¼ cup cinnamon

4 teaspoons ground nutmeg

4 teaspoons ginger

1 Tablespoon ground allspice

In a small mixing bowl add cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and allspice. Combine and store in an airtight container until ready to use.

Source: https://therecipecritic.com/homemade-pumpkin-pie-spice/

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ACTION ALERT: Grassfed Dairy Farm Devastated by Hurricane Michael

by Sarah Pope MGA Updated: October 26, 2018 Affiliate linksActivism

Ocheesee Creamery is a third generation dairy farm about an hour west of Tallahassee in the Florida panhandle. The farm is home to a closed herd of about 90 jersey cows, who freely roam and graze on the unsprayed rolling pastures.

This farm is an important provider of fresh grassfed milk, cream, butter, cottage cheese, buttermilk, yogurt and ice cream in Florida, Southern Georgia and Alabama.

On October 10, 2018, the unthinkable happened. The east side of the eye of Hurricane Michael with its 145 mph winds passed over the farm.

Winds gusts in the area were clocked at 190mph. I received the text message “Pray” from the farm’s owner, Pierre Wesselhoeft who at the time (I later learned) was trapped with his brother-in-law in the the milking parlor for several hours during the height of the storm. From the picture above, you can see why.

Miraculously, Pierre, his wife and four daughters as well as his sister, brother-in-law and their five children were all unhurt.

In the fraught days immediately following the eye’s passing, Pierre and his family found nails and screws embedded in a number of the milking cows. They also amazingly survived along with their calves, although one cow did have her ear cut off from the flying debris.

Because it took time to round up the cows and clear out the milking parlor whose structure was all but destroyed and littered with sharp metal, some animals fell ill with milk fever from missed milking. As of this writing, one has died as a result.

While the farm has insurance coverage, the deductible is very steep at $10,000. In addition, many expenses are not covered such as destroyed fencing, thousands of dollars of lost product, and multiple shade barns for the cows. None of this is covered by insurance.

Amazingly enough, the farm has continued to operate, with milking and refrigeration run by generators alone.

This feat has been accomplished due to the help of many out of town family and friends who immediately traveled to the farm to lend a hand with the clean-up.

Ocheesee Creamery Needs Your Help!

With the clean-up expenses piling up, much uninsured infrastructure, and no insurance money yet received, Ocheesee Creamery could use your help!

The owners of Ocheesee Creamery, Pierre and Misty Wesselhoeft, have set up a page to thankfully and gratefully receive donations.

Click here to donate via Paypal, debit or credit card (anonymous donations also accepted).

Thank you for your generosity!

**PLEASE SHARE THIS POST FAR AND WIDE! You can view more pictures of the farm at the Ocheesee Creamery Facebook page.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your generosity!

Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist

Sarah Pope has been a Health and Nutrition Educator since 2002. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Weston A. Price Foundation.

Sarah was awarded Activist of the Year at the International Wise Traditions Conference in 2010.

Sarah earned a Bachelor of Arts (summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa) in Economics from Furman University and a Master’s degree in Government (Financial Management) from the University of Pennsylvania.

Mother to three healthy children, blogger, and best-selling author, she writes about the practical application of Traditional Diet and evidence-based wellness within the modern household. Her work has been featured by USA Today, The New York Times, National Review, ABC, NBC, and many others.

Source: https://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/action-alert-grassfed-dairy-farm-devastated-by-hurricane-michael/

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Do I Need to Count Calories to Lose Weight on Keto?

This is ultimately going to be a post about calories and keto, but start by thinking about your computer for a second. You probably don’t know exactly how all the circuits and electronic parts of your computer work, but you can still turn it on and use it just fine. You don’t need a degree in electrical engineering just to send an email. You can just use the buttons and windows on the screen to interact with the computer and the motherboard will take care of itself.

Energy balance in the human body (the “calories in/calories out” equation) is like all the electronic stuff going on inside a computer. It’s “true” or “real” or however you like to put it, but it’s way too complicated for most of us to understand in detail or fully control.

For example, different people extract calories from their food more or less efficiently, so the same muffin might give one person 200 calories in but another person 225. Nutrition labels can’t take that into account, so the calorie counts are slightly off in a slightly different way for each person. To really understand how “calories in/calories out” works under the hood, you’d need to analyze all kinds of biological processes that are at least as complex as the inside of your computer. Probably more.

Of course, nobody actually does that – for one thing, most of us have way too much to do, and not everyone is even interested. Instead, we use different diets. Diets are like the user interface of the computer. They give you a more understandable way to do what you want (lose weight or send an email), without worrying about everything under the hood.

Even pure calorie-counting typically works like that. Instead of a deep dive into your own energy metabolism and digestive system, just plug your height, weight, age, and sex into some calculator and get an extremely rough approximation of how many calories to eat, based on a bunch of assumptions that the calculator makes. “Eat 1500 calories” is a simple (not easy! But simple!) task.

Weight Watchers is another type of diet that uses a human-friendly shortcut (the points). Very low-fat diets use a different set of rules to accomplish the same thing. Keto is just another example of a user interface that simplifies the process of operating your own body and managing your own energy balance.

So then the question becomes: what kind of diet is most user-friendly? If calorie-counting is just a shortcut like all the other shortcuts, then it’s not any more scientific or pure than anything else – it’s just one among many potential choices. If all of them are just ways to simplify the process of controlling your own energy balance, which kind of diet strategy is the easiest and least unpleasant to use? 

Calorie-counting is a bad diet strategy.

Kids, if you don’t remember Windows ME, ask a caveman over 30.

The problem with calorie-counting is that – even in simplified, internet-calculator form – it still requires a lot of cognitive effort. Even if they can figure out roughly the correct number of calories to eat for their goals (and that’s a big if), most people can’t count how much they eat with any degree of accuracy. Also, for most people, calorie-counting requires being hungry a lot of the time, which is very unpleasant. It’s just not reasonable to expect most people to count/restrict calories as a primary weight loss strategy. It’s a bad UI. It’s the Windows ME of diets.

That’s why keto doesn’t generally require or encourage calorie-counting – so if you’re skimming for the short answer, here it is: no, most people don’t need to count calories to lose weight on keto, and in fact, most people probably shouldn’t. It’s not because calories don’t matter, and it’s not because something about high-fat diets transcends the laws of thermodynamics and lets you lose weight while eating more food than your body needs. It’s because keto diets accomplish the same goal (managing energy balance) in less painful ways.

It’s not necessary to count calories if you’re eating keto, because ketogenic diets have other features that let people control their own energy balance with minimum pain and effort. For example:

Keto takes out all the junk food specifically engineered to make you keep mindlessly eating it, even when you aren’t hungry (potato chips, candy, pretzels, etc.).

Keto prevents blood sugar highs and crashes, so there’s no “need” for a snack every few hours to prevent blood sugar lows.

Keto satisfies hunger very well – most people find fat- and protein-rich foods to be really filling, and they don’t tend to gorge themselves on liverwurst or chicken thighs.

Delicious…but not so delicious that you’d sit in front of the TV and eat a whole package without noticing!

When practiced as a weight-loss diet, keto is generally pretty high in protein, which may help preserve metabolic rate even after weight loss.

A relatively health-conscious keto or low-carb diet helps resolve inflammation and other underlying factors that contribute to cravings and fat cell dysfunction.

Keto does all this via a very simple set of understandable rules that you can follow intuitively once you get used to them.

Most people who eat keto food eat only to hunger – and without all the lab-engineered junk food, hunger is a much better indication of what your body actually needs. The “magic” of ketogenic diets is the way they get people to eat less without unrealistic requirements like counting every calorie or being hungry most of the time.

Just to back this up with something besides anecdotal success stories, studies generally support the finding that if people are allowed to eat as much as they want without counting calories, they naturally eat less on a low-carb diet than a high-carb diet. They often spontaneously lose weight, even without trying, because they’re eating so much less. As a user interface for managing your own internal hardware, keto works really well without the need for calorie-counting.

So – do you need to count calories on keto?

Most people who come in overweight and want to lose weight shouldn’t need to count calories.

If you aren’t losing weight, try counting for a couple days to see if you’re doing anything totally crazy like eating 1,500 calories of keto trail mix every day as a “snack” on top of your normal meals.

If you want to gain weight on keto and you can’t, try counting calories to make sure you’re getting enough.

But again, for most people, calorie-counting shouldn’t be necessary, because keto accomplishes the calorie-reduction magic without making you explicitly count them out. That’s one of the great parts about the diet – enjoy it!

Do you count calories on keto? Why or why not? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter!

P.S. Have a look at Paleo Restart, our popular 30-day program. We're having a special offer going on now for 50% off until January 15th to celebrate the new year.

+ The Paleo Leap Meal Planner is now also available. Put your meal planning on autopilot!

Source: https://paleoleap.com/do-i-need-to-count-calories-to-lose-weight-on-keto/

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Why Don’t You Own This Cooking Thermometer Already?

Isaac Toups, the man behind the celebrated Toups’ Meatery in New Orleans, first purchased the Thermapen thermometer for a very staid purpose: to make sure all his food was up to sanitation code, temperature-wise. But he quickly realized it was an indispensable tool — a fast, sleek, high-precision thermometer that can be used to measure the temperature of anything, from meat to broth to the ambient air.

At Toups’ Meatery, Toups uses the Thermapen for almost every single dish — he says it’s the difference between perfectly plump and overcooked crab cakes, nicely set and runny crème brulée, and of course, snappy and rubbery sausage. “You need something that it super accurate, and works in a couple of seconds,” he says, unlike a mercury thermometer, where precision and speed are perennial problems.

Even other electric thermometers can be a pain: They require recalibrating, or reading tiny numbers off of a dial. The Thermapen involves zero readjusting, and the temperature quickly and clearly displays on the side of the device.

Plus, it’s water-resistant, and in the two years that Toups has had it, he has never had to change the battery. And even if he did, “it is one piece with no compartments to lose,” he says. “Even if you drop it, nothing is going to come loose.”

Most cooks have multiple thermometers for various uses — a candy thermometer that is glass, a meat thermometer with a sharp poker. But the Thermapen “works for baking, sugar work, charcuterie work,” Toups says. “Any thermometer I need is on me.”

Others may be attracted to the Thermapen’s compactness and bright range of colors to choose from. “But I don’t give a shit about that,” Toups says. “The fact is: I don’t have to worry. I can pull it out, stick it in whatever I want a temperature of, wipe it clean, and put it back in my pocket.”

Buy ThermoWorks Thermapen Mk4 Thermometer, $99

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Source: https://www.eater.com/2018/10/9/17870756/best-food-thermometer-thermapen

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Tuna Sliders with Avocado and Pico de Gallo

Posted by Paula in Sandwiches, Seafood | 2 comments

If you love crab cakes you’ll love tuna cakes as well. They’re incredibly flavorful, can be eaten on their own or you can turn them into tuna sliders with avocado and pico de gallo. These sliders are made using Blue Harbor Wild Albacore tuna. They’re fresh, simple and perfect to enjoy all spring and summer long.

This is sponsored post brought to you by Blue Harbor. Opinions are my own.

I am a seafood lover through and through. While I absolutely love crab cakes, they can be expensive. I have something equally as delicious and a whole lot more budget friendly. Tuna cakes (or patties for those of you just can’t get past calling it a cake, I get it). It starts with quality tuna.

Blue Harbor Fish Co. Have you heard of this company? I hope so but if you haven’t, here are a few reasons I was impressed with them:

Their tuna is wild, line-caught premium quality fish that offers a delicious, mild, clean flavor.

Blue Harbor is MSC Certified, which means it complies with sustainable practices and ensures each fish is traceable back to the boat.

It’s soy Free, Gluten Free and Dolphin safe.

And if that wasn’t reason enough, another HUGE reason I’m into it, is it’s convenient. How you ask? Blue Harbor tuna comes in a convenient pouch. That means you can forget about a can opener because there are NO cans to open AND, wait for it, their pouches require NO DRAINING. How’s that for convenient.

Blue Harbor tuna comes in a choice of sea salt or no salt added tuna.

If you live in the South or Southeast like I do, you can find Blue Harbor Tuna at your local Publix store. Simple ingredients that are environmentally friendly. That’s something I can get behind.

These Tuna Sliders with Avocado and Pico de Gallo are going to be your new go to for spring and summer. They’re perfect to serve as an appetizer at your al fresco parties, girl friend get togethers, pool side or just because you’re craving a delicious seafood slider.

All you need are a few simple ingredients (that you probably have on hand in your pantry and fridge – nothing exotic or hard to find in this recipe) added to our Blue Harbor Tuna. A little, panko, mayo, onion, celery and seasoning. Easy peasy. Form them into patties, freestyle because who needs the pressure of perfection. Amiright?

If you’re serving a crowd just double or triple the recipe. You could even make the patties in advance and keep them in the fridge on parchment or aluminum foil until you’re ready to pan fry them.

Now let’s chat about those buns. I’ve gone with a buttery brioche dinner roll to compliment our Tuna Sliders with Avocado and Pico de Gallo. Yes, dinner rolls. They’re the perfect slider size. If you can’t find brioche dinner rolls, no worries, you can easily substitute sweet Hawaiian dinner rolls in their place. Don’t sweat the small stuff. We’ve got tuna sliders to get to.

To finish off these tuna-riffic patties add a few slices of creamy avocado and a heaping spoonful of pico de gallo. That’s simply salsa fresca. You can make it yourself OR you can typically find it pre-packaged in most grocery stores. It comes in a variety of spice levels so if you like spicy or not. Up to you.

I fall under team cilantro so I garnish with that as well. Not crazy about it? Gasp, no problem, just leave it off!

We’ve also got a great Tuna Puttanesca recipe you might wanna take a peek at! Made using, you guessed it, Blue Harbor Tuna!

xo!

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Blue Harbor. Opinions are my own.

  Tuna Sliders with Avocado and Pico de Gallo

If you love crab cakes you'll love tuna cakes as well. They're incredibly flavorful, can be eaten on their own or you can turn them into tuna sliders with avocado and pico de gallo. These sliders are made using Blue Harbor Wild Albacore tuna. They're fresh, simple and perfect to enjoy all spring and summer long.

Ingredients

6 ounces Blue Harbor Wild Abacore Tuna 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs 1/4 cup mayonnaise 2 tablespoons minced celery 2 tablespoons minced onion 1/4 teaspoon old bay seasoning 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 brioche rolls - halved 1 avocado - sliced 2 tablespoons prepared pico de gallo

Directions

Into a bowl add: tuna, panko, mayonnaise, celery, onion and seasoning. Mix until combined. Form into two equal sized patties.

Heat oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Cook patties 2-3 minutes on each side until golden. Transfer to a paper towel to absorb oil.

To assemble: place patty onto bottom of brioche roll. Top with avocado slices and pico de gallo. Repeat for other roll.

by Paula

Source: https://bellalimento.com/2018/06/08/tuna-sliders-with-avocado-and-pico-de-gallo/

[shamehill56-blog]

Literally Every Single Food Trend Predicted to Take Over 2019

Dust off those crystal balls. It’s that time of year again, when literally every corner of the food industry — from Nicole Kidman’s personal chef to fruit and nut bar manufacturers to pretty much every food and beverage PR company in the universe — place their bets on which dishes will reign supreme in 2019.

The prognosticators use vastly different methods to develop their list of in-items. Some, like Pinterest and Uber Eats, for example, employ the data they collect from users to make predictions about what pinners and delivery-lovers are gravitating towards at the end of 2018. Other lists cite anecdotal evidence. Some just use pure gut instinct and a cheat sheet that’s generally from the same playbook as the National Restaurant Association (it’s easy to spot the copycats based on its gratuitous use of the word “ethnic” year after year) or perhaps grocery chain Whole Foods, whose annual list of 2019 trends is a favorite for pickup by national magazines.

While some of these predictions may be a shot in the dark, the hordes do seem to agree on a few trends for next year. CBD drinks and other beverages infused with beneficial herbs will likely continue to make there way onto grocery store shelves and into cafes. Vegan food — or as buzzword-wielding publicists refer to it, “plant-based” — will become even more mainstream, along with its cousins “faux meat snacks,” heme protein (the ingredient that gives the Impossible Burgers its bleeding quality), and lab grown meat. Forecasters also seem to be going all in on “gut healthy” fermented foods. And oat milk is also growing even more popular, despite the fact that it’s so elusively rare no one can even get their hands on enough to taste it.

Other trend spotters have gone a step farther by alerting followers to what’s so last season. Uber Eats observes that its users have a declining interest in brussels sprouts, aloe vera, dragonfruit, acai, avocado, sushiritos, millennial pink food, and cold brew. However, the delivery app’s predictions that “Unicorn” foods and seaweed are out contrast sharply with other outlets that say these items are still very much in their prime. Insider adds pickle flavored foods, glitter, Tide Pod-inspired treats, broccoli coffee, pizza stunts, bowl food, activated charcoal, Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, gold leaf, and avocado toast to the list of outgoing trends. Not all diviners agree on that last one, but if it’s true, maybe millennials will finally be able to save for a down payment on a house.

Will everyone be sipping Aperol frosé next year while feasting on “choco,” or is this stuff all junk engineered to advertise a brand on a slow news day? Either way, Eater has compiled it all into one megalisticle. Below, find a compendium of every prediction about food, restaurants, and dining culture for 2019.

Mushrooms (Pinterest) (New York Times)

Infusions such as ginger water and CBD (Pinterest) (Self) (Greatist) (Supermarket News) (Convenience Store Decisions) (Kind Snacks) (Delish) (af&co) (Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants) (Fresh Direct)

Oat milk and pea milk (Pinterest) (Uber Eats) (Self) (Greatist) (Supermarket News) (Nation’s Restaurant News) (Delish) (Square) (Fresh Direct)

Bread especially sourdough (Pinterest) (Facebook)

“Peganism” — a cross between paleo and vegan (Pinterest) (Whole Foods) (New York Times)

Grazing tables (Pinterest)

Foil pack dinner recipes (Pinterest) (New York Times)

Chayote, but apparently someone is trying to make “chocho” happen (Pinterest)

Oxtail (Pinterest)

Jam, jelly, and marmelade (Pinterest)

Clean eating (Uber Eats) (National Restaurant Association)

“Gut-healthy” foods aka fermented foods such as kombucha and kimchi (Uber Eats) (Benchmark) (Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants) (The Door) (Shaun King, Momofuku Las Vegas) (Kroger) (Joshua Korn, Cultivation Kitchen)

Plant-based foods aka vegan food (Uber Eats X2) (Benchmark) (National Restaurant Association) (Delish) (Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants) (Kroger) (Joshua Korn, Cultivation Kitchen) (New York Times)

Smoothie bowls (Uber Eats)

Seitan (Uber Eats)

Rolled ice cream (Uber Eats)

Manaeesh (Uber Eats)

Heme (Uber Eats) (Benchmark)

Keto (Uber Eats)

Bulgur (Uber Eats)

Pumpkin (Uber Eats)

Farro (Uber Eats)

Turmeric (Uber Eats) (Square)

Tofu (Uber Eats)

Chia (Uber Eats)

Chulpe corn (Uber Eats)

Honey (Uber Eats)

Quinoa (Uber Eats)

Agave (Uber Eats)

Bee pollen (Uber Eats) (Greatist)

Pacific Rim flavors (Whole Foods) (New York Times)

Shelf-stable probiotics and fiber (Whole Foods) (Greatist) (Convenience Store Decisions) (Kind Snacks) (Kind Snacks)

Fats (Whole Foods) (Delish)

Hemp (Whole Foods)

Faux meat snacks (Whole Foods) (Greatist) (Kind Snacks)

Eco-conscious packaging (Whole Foods) (Delish) (af&co)

Frozen desserts with ingredients like avocado, hummus, tahini, and coconut water (Whole Foods) (Delish)

Seafood snacks (Whole Foods)

Fancy snacks (Whole Foods)

Transparent, feel good brands (Whole Foods) (Kind Snacks) (Benchmark) (New York Times)

Moringa (Self) (af&co)

Middle Eastern spices (Self) (Delish) (New York Times)

African spices (Self) (Kind Snacks) (Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants) (New York Times)

Orange wine (Self) (Delish)

Drinking collagen (Greatist)

Coffee beer (Greatist)

Insect/cricket protein (Greatist) (Benchmark)

Cheese snacks (Greatist)

Shaved ice (Greatist)

Chlorophyll lattes (Greatist)

Adaptogens (Greatist)

Celtuce is the new kale, apparently (Supermarket News) (New York Times)

“Healthy” desserts (Supermarket News) (Nation’s Restaurant News)

Hot-brewed coffee/hot nitro coffee (Supermarket News) (Nation’s Restaurant News) (af&co)

Lager (Supermarket News) (Nation’s Restaurant News)

Lab-grown meat (Supermarket News) (Convenience Store Decisions) (af&co) (Fox Restaurant Concepts) (New York Times)

Diet food (Supermarket News) (Cacique Inc.)

Regional food (Supermarket News) (Convenience Store Decisions) (Kroger) (Joshua Korn, Cultivation Kitchen) (Fast Casual)

Fresh shelf-stable products (Supermarket News) (Fresh Direct)

Small snacks (Convenience Store Decisions)

Blockchain tracking of food sources (Convenience Store Decisions)

Food pop-ups (Convenience Store Decisions)

Vegetable alternatives to grains such as cauliflower pizza crust (Convenience Store Decisions) (National Restaurant Association) (Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants)

Sour flavors (Convenience Store Decisions)

Seed butter (Kind Snacks)

Ugly food (Kind Snacks) (Delish) (The Door)

Naturally occurring sugar over added sugar (Kind Snacks) (Delish) (Kroger) (Joshua Korn, Cultivation Kitchen)

Coconut water (Kind Snacks)

Whole/minimally processed foods (Kind Snacks)

Beets (Nation’s Restaurant News)

Sea vegetables (Nation’s Restaurant News) (Delish) (The Door) (New York Times)

To-go ordering areas incorporated into design (Nation’s Restaurant News)

Better employee benefits (Nation’s Restaurant News)

More kid-friendly menus and restaurant design (Nation’s Restaurant News)

Tea bars (Benchmark)

Hyper local or farm-to-table 2.0 (Benchmark) (National Restaurant Association) (af&co) (Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants) (Fresh Direct)

Return to dining out (Benchmark)

Dietitians (Benchmark)

Ghost restaurants aka app-only restaurants (G2 Crowd)

Mobile payment (G2 Crowd)

Ordering kiosks (G2 Crowd)

Chef-driven fast-casual concepts (National Restaurant Association)

Food waste reduction (National Restaurant Association) (New York Times)

Sustainability (National Restaurant Association) (Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants)

Simple/classic recipes (National Restaurant Association) (The Door) (Shaun King, Momofuku Las Vegas) (Fast Casual)

Farm/estate-branded items (National Restaurant Association)

Non-traditional cuts of meat and offal (National Restaurant Association) (Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants)

Housemade condiments (National Restaurant Association)

Street food-inspired dishes (National Restaurant Association)

“Ethnic-inspired” breakfast items (National Restaurant Association) (af&co)

Sustainable seafood (National Restaurant Association)

Healthful kids’ meals (National Restaurant Association)

Uncommon herbs (National Restaurant Association)

“Authentic-ethnic” cuisine (National Restaurant Association)

“Ethnic” spices (National Restaurant Association) (Fox Restaurant Concepts)

Delivery (Delish)

Milkshake IPAs (Delish)

Cabbage (Delish)

Celebrity restaurant investment (Delish)

Drinks that are sleep aids (Delish)

“Healthy” breakfast food (Delish)

Mezcal (Delish)

Vegetable-forward food (Delish)

Multicultural comfort foods (Facebook) (Fast Casual)

“Healthy” soul food (Facebook)

Georgian cuisine (af&co) (New York Times)

Pittsburgh restaurants (af&co)

Artisanal doughnuts (af&co)

Chickpeas (af&co)

Clarified cocktails (af&co)

Carbs (af&co)

“Flex casual” restaurants (af&co)

Food entertainment (af&co)

Weird or bespoke plates and glassware (af&co)

Restaurants with Spotify playlists (af&co) (New York Times)

Japanese herbs and spices (Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants)

Floral flavors (Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants)

Aperol spritzes (Square)

Unicorn-themed items (Square)

Tahini (Square) (Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants)

Avocado toast and other toast (Square) (Shaun King, Momofuku Las Vegas)

Matcha (Square)

Banh mi (Square)

Non-alcoholic cocktails and shots (Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants) (The Door) (New York Times)

Mushroom drinks (Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants)

Savory cocktails (Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants)

Spiced and floral cocktails (Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants)

Flavored alcoholic seltzer (Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants)

Aperol frosé (Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants)

Spiced beers (Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants)

Dry-hopped sour beers (Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants)

Kolsch (Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants)

Restaurants offering all day dining (The Door)

Cheap wine on menus (The Door)

Unplugging while you eat (The Door)

Melting pot cuisine (The Door)

Restaurants keeping notes on guests (The Door)

Building dishes with flexibility for allergens (The Door)

Plant proteins (The Door)

Hybrid or “flavored” chocolates (The Door)

Tableside dining (The Door)

Boutique menus (The Door)

Menus marking dishes on with footnotes on nutritional value (The Door)

Succulents (The Door)

Bycatch fish (The Door)

Consolidation of home delivery services (The Door)

Restaurant swag will make a comeback (The Door)

Large format dining (Shaun King, Momofuku Las Vegas)

“Unusual seafood” such as squid, cuttlefish, geoduck, and roe (Shaun King, Momofuku Las Vegas)

Sweet and savory desserts (Shaun King, Momofuku Las Vegas)

Sherry (Shaun King, Momofuku Las Vegas)

Rum cocktails (Shaun King, Momofuku Las Vegas)

Natural beers, wines, and sakes (Shaun King, Momofuku Las Vegas)

Dry-aged poultry and pork (Shaun King, Momofuku Las Vegas)

Higher-end quick service restaurants (Shaun King, Momofuku Las Vegas)

Cold-pressed juice (Shaun King, Momofuku Las Vegas)

Serverless restaurants (Shaun King, Momofuku Las Vegas)

High-quality canned fish (Fresh Direct)

Edible flowers and buds such as loroco (Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger)

Premium spice packets (Fresh Direct)

Transitionally farmed foods aka farms that are in the process of acquiring organic certifications or use organic practices but aren’t certified (Fresh Direct)

Cauliflower (Fresh Direct)

Healthy kids’ snacks (Fresh Direct)

Increasing restaurant mergers and acquisitions (Fox Restaurant Concepts)

Calming of the fast-casual craze (Fox Restaurant Concepts)

Single-item concepts (Fox Restaurant Concepts)

Fonio (Joshua Korn, Cultivation Kitchen)

Single-origin Mexican ingredients (Cacique Inc.)

Open fire grilling (Cacique Inc.)

Baja California, Los Angeles, and Chicago Mexican food scenes (Cacique Inc.)

Aguachile and ceviche (Cacique Inc.)

Flash brewing nitrogen coffee (Verve Coffee)

Brands publicly eliminating artificial ingredients (Fast Casual)

Functional health (Fast Casual)

Mexican craft beers and spirits (Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger)

Plant water (Fast Casual)

Coffee (Fast Casual)

Tea (Fast Casual)

Breakfast salad (Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger)

Sour, funky flavors (New York Times)

Cheese tea (New York Times)

Salad-making robots (New York Times)

THC food (New York Times)

• All Year in Eater Coverage [E]

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Source: https://www.eater.com/2018/12/26/18139840/food-and-restaurant-trends-2019-prediction

[shamehill56-blog]

Roasted Vegetable Couscous

$7.82 recipe / $0.98 serving

I’m still trying to take full advantage of the fresh summer veggies before they’re gone. This Roasted Vegetable Couscous is the perfect side dish for the transitional season, when the markets are still full of fresh beautiful produce, but it’s not so hot that you don’t want to turn on your oven. This simple side dish is easy to prepare, but boasts complex and vibrant flavors.

That being said, if it is still too hot to roast your vegetables in the oven, you can make this dish just as easily by grilling the vegetables outside on your grill. Either way, you’ll get that wonderfully sweet caramelized smoky flavor on the edges of the vegetables that contrast so well with the savory couscous.

Originally posted 8-29-11, updated 9-10-18.

Roasted Vegetable Couscous

What is Couscous?

If you’re unfamiliar with couscous, it’s kind of like small granules of pasta. Technically couscous is not a pasta because it’s not made from a dough, but from rolling small bits of crushed durum wheat semolina in flour until it forms the tiny granules. Because the small granules are so tiny, it produces a wonderfully light and fluffy mixture once cooked. It’s perfect for mixing with vegetables, herbs, fruit, meat, or even nuts.

How do you Cook Couscous?

Cooking Couscous is extremely easy. Simply pour the couscous into boiling water (1 part couscous to 1.5 parts water), place a lid on top, turn the heat off, and let it sit undisturbed for ten minutes. The couscous will quickly absorb the hot water. After ten minutes fluff, then serve! You can flavor couscous by cooking it in flavored liquids, like the vegetable broth I used here. Larger varieties of couscous, like Israeli couscous, or varieties made with whole wheat semolina, may have slightly different cooking instructions.

Can I Use Different Vegetables?

Yes! You can use pretty much any vegetable that you have available to you, but I like to make sure I have at least three colors for maximum visual appeal. Some other vegetables that are wonderful in this mix are: eggplant, yellow squash, mushrooms, or broccoli. If using hard vegetables, like root vegetables, you may need to cut them slightly smaller to make sure they soften.

Roasted Vegetable Couscous

Roasted Vegetable Couscous is an easy side dish with complex flavor, with sweet roasted vegetables mixed with savory, fluffy couscous.

Servings 8 about 1 cup each

4 Roma tomatoes $1.69

2 zucchini $1.23

1 bell pepper $1.00

1 red onion $0.69

4 cloves garlic $0.24

2 Tbsp olive oil $0.32

2 pinches salt and pepper $0.05

2 cups couscous $1.97

3 cups vegetable broth $0.39

1/4 bunch parsley $0.24

Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Wash and chop the tomatoes, zucchini, bell pepper, and red onion into 1 to 1.5-inch pieces. Peel four cloves of garlic but leave them whole.

Toss the chopped vegetables and garlic with 2 Tbsp of olive oil. Spread them out on a baking sheet so they are in a single layer. Sprinkle a couple pinches of salt and pepper over the vegetables

Place the vegetables in the oven and roast at 400ºF for about 45 minutes, stirring twice throughout, until the vegetables are wilted and browned on the edges.

While the vegetables are roasting, cook the couscous. Add the vegetable broth to a sauce pot, place a lid on top, and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, add the couscous, turn off the heat, and cover the pot with the lid once again. Let the couscous sit, undisturbed, for ten minutes. Then, fluff with a fork.

After the vegetables are finished roasting, collect the four garlic cloves, and chop them well. They will be quite soft. Also roughly chop the fresh parsley.

Combine the couscous, roasted vegetables (including garlic), and parsley in a bowl, and stir to combine. Season with more salt and pepper if desired. Serve warm or cold!

Step By Step Photos

These are the vegetables that I used for my couscous today, but you can be flexible with the vegetables in this dish. Use whatever you have on hand or whatever is available at a good price! Preheat the oven to 400ºF.

Chop the vegetables into 1 to 1.5-inch pieces. Peel the garlic, but you can leave it whole so it roasts and becomes nice and sweet. Place the vegetables (and garlic) on a large baking sheet, drizzle 2 Tbsp olive oil over top, and add a couple pinches of salt and some freshly cracked pepper. Toss until the vegetables are well coated in oil.

Roast the vegetables in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes, stirring a couple of times throughout, or until they are wilted and browned on the edges. Pick out the whole cloves of garlic and mince them.

While the vegetables are roasting, cook the couscous. This is what couscous looks like uncooked. Very small, irregular granules. You can usually find this in bulk bins, or sometimes near the pasta or boxed pasta and rice pilaf mixes (although boxed versions are always much more expensive than bulk varieties).

Bring 3 cups vegetable broth to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, pour in the couscous, turn the heat off, replace the lid, and let the couscous sit undisturbed for 10 minutes. The couscous will absorb the hot water as it sits.

Once the couscous has absorbed all the broth, fluff it with a fork.

Chop about 1/4 bunch fresh parsley.

Once the vegetables are roasted, couscous is fluffed, and parsley is chopped, combine them all in a large bowl.

Toss everything together, give it a taste, and add salt if needed (this will depend on the salt content of the broth you used. I did not add any extra salt.)

Talk about a PRETTY side dish! This Roasted Vegetable Couscous is as delicious as it is beautiful. :)

posted on September 10, 2018 in Dairy Free, Egg Free, Global, Pasta Recipes, Recipes, Recipes under $10, Salads, Side Dish, Soy Free, Under $1 per serving, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian Recipes

Source: https://www.budgetbytes.com/roasted-vegetable-couscous/

[shamehill56-blog]

Roasted Fioretto Recipe

It’s not often that you come across a new vegetable. The first time I saw Fioretto at a market in Chinatown I thought it must be some kind of weird overgrown cauliflower. It turns out it’s a relatively new hybrid that combines the best of broccoli and cauliflower. In addition to Fioretto, it’s also called stick cauliflower, flowering cauliflower, Chinese cauliflower and kaurifurore. It has thinner sweeter tops than cauliflower, and stems similar to broccoli which are sometimes white and other times pale green. The stems deepen in color when cooked. 

The hybrid was developed in Japan in 2012 by a seed company and I started noticing it the past year or so but couldn’t find much information about it. Once I tried cooking it, I became a fan. Because it’s less dense, it’s easy to cook and lends itself well to raw, steamed or stir fried recipes. One of the ways I particularly like preparing it is by roasting it with olive oil, salt and garlic. Like traditional cauliflower it develops a very appealing sweet flavor when cooked. It’s a great side dish, but also good tossed with pasta or in a roasted vegetable salad served either warm or at room temperature.

I’ve seen Fioretto at both farmer’s markets and frequently in Asian produce markets and it’s also distributed by Melissa’s and Specialty Produce. Like other brassicas it’s high in vitamin C, dietary fiber and potassium. If you’ve tried it, let me know in the comments. 

Roasted Fioretto 

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 head of Fioretto broken into small pieces, about 4 cups when sliced

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

Pinch of kosher salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Break the vegetable into bite sized florets and toss in a bowl with olive oil, garlic and salt. Place on a foil lined rimmed baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes or until tender and brown in spots. 

Enjoy!

Source: http://cookingwithamy.blogspot.com/2018/06/roasted-fioretto-recipe.html

[shamehill56-blog]

Episode 175: The Bite House

I have always been interested in the idea of serving fine dining food in someone’s personal home.  In the woods of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia,  Chef Bryan Picard has done just that.  At The Bite House, Bryan lives upstairs, his dad cooks the bread, his girlfriend helps serve the guests. It looks and feels like home….  except for the food.  Michelin isn’t in Canada, but if it were, this restaurant/home would be in the book.  #visitNovaScotia #exploreCanada

Source: http://www.theperennialplate.com/episodes/2018/02/episode-175-the-bite-house/

[shamehill56-blog]

BLT Macaroni Salad

My Mom’s traditional macaroni salad kicked up a notch with a BLT twist, my favorite threesome.

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BLT Macaroni Salad

Traditional macaroni salad kicked up a notch with a BLT twist: bacon, lettuce, and tomato. Perfect for toting along to a party or potluck.

Author: Reeni

Recipe type: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Serves: 8 - 10 as a side

Ingredients

8 ounces elbow macaroni

sea or kosher salt

a drizzle of olive oil

8 slices bacon

Dressing:

¼ cup olive oil

⅓ cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon dijon mustard

1 teaspoon sugar or honey

Salad:

⅓ cup diced celery

⅓ cup diced red onion

cherry tomatoes, quartered

10 ounces albacore tuna, flaked

2 packed cups baby spinach, stacked and thinly sliced (chiffonade)

fresh black pepper

Instructions

Cook the elbows to al dente in plenty of salted water according to package directions. Drain and toss with a drizzle of oil so they don't stick together and let them cool.

Meanwhile:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. and line a roasting pan or baking sheet with sides with aluminum foil. Lay out the bacon in one layer and bake until crispy about 15 minutes. Drain on paper towels and chop into bite-sized pieces.

Make the dressing: whisk the olive oil and mayo together until creamy and well combined. Whisk in the vinegar, mustard, and sugar.

In a large mixing bowl toss everything together - if you like crispy bacon leave it out until you're ready to eat - it will soften in the dressing.

Season to taste with salt and pepper. You can serve it right away at room temperature or refrigerate to serve later.

Notes

©Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice by Reeni Pisano All Rights Reserved

3.5.3251

Bacon, lettuce and tomato macaroni salad because summer’s not over yet!

This weekend is not Labor Day. No, no, no! (Stamping my feet.)   I still want to eat all the pasta salads.   Starting with this one.

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My Mom’s basic macaroni salad is made of elbows, tuna fish, onion, celery, and mayo. I added crispy bacon, fresh baby spinach for the lettuce and quartered cherry tomatoes.

Instead of straight mayo, I whisked it with olive oil, mustard, apple cider vinegar and a touch of sugar for balance.

It’s still creamy but not thick and goopy. Not that I mind goopy. . .I love my Mom’s goopy macaroni salad, the one I grew up on and will crave for the rest of my life.

<![CDATA[ .jrdia5b960e461687a margin: 5px; padding: 0px; @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) .jrdia5b960e461687a display: block; @media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) .jrdia5b960e461687a display: block; @media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) .jrdia5b960e461687a display: block; @media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) .jrdia5b960e461687a display: block; @media screen and (max-width: 767px) .jrdia5b960e461687a display: block; ]]>

What’s that you say? It’s almost time for apple picking, crunchy leaves, and jack-o-lanterns?   Oh. OK. I just got over it. It being summer.   Bring on the pumpkin spice!   Let’s eat this salad first.

Source: https://www.cinnamonspiceandeverythingnice.com/blt-macaroni-salad/

[shamehill56-blog]

“Football” Triple Chocolate Popcorn

Addicting and perfect for tailgating — triple chocolate popcorn with chocolate-covered almond footballs

This chocolate popcorn with chocolate-covered almond footballs is a great treat to share for game day. Not only is the chocolate popcorn completely addicting, but it’s also fun and festive!

I’m so excited to be partnering up with Kroger this year to bring you delicious recipes including this triple chocolate football popcorn! This post is brought to you in partnership with Kroger, as always, all opinions are my own.

Throughout this past year I’ve shared many reasons why my family and I are obsessed with Kroger stores. There is so much to love about Kroger, and my local Smith’s makes my life about a million times easier (have I told you about the parking spots they have for expecting moms? Game changer for me right now!)

And Kroger really makes it easy when it comes to comes to planning a party, or preparing an amazing spread of food for game season! And when I say an amazing spread, you really can create quite the table of snacks with very little work. We threw a small family party a couple of weeks ago and had quite the table of snacks put together in no time at all!

I love creating snacks for parties and family events, and with football season right around the corner, I wanted to make a fun football-themed treat. The result? A delicious concoction of popcorn, chocolate, and almonds. My family is obsessed with this treat, and lucky for us football season is just starting:)

If you’re like me you like serving a variety of snacks, and this chocolate popcorn treat pairs perfectly with other traditional snacks.

What should you serve alongside this football-themed chocolate popcorn?

I really like how easy this popcorn is to prepare, which leaves me time to prep any other snacks I’m making at the same time. While there are a few more steps than you might be used to, it comes together easily and is well worth the effort!

Here are a few tips when making this easy chocolate popcorn:

Prep the ingredients before starting. I like to grab all the required ingredients and lay them out on my kitchen counter to make sure I have everything I need. This recipe moves fast in some parts, so if an ingredient isn’t immediately ready to go, the recipe may not turn out as good as it could have.

Use a really large bowl! You’ll toss the popcorn twice — first in the caramel-sugar mixture, and then again in the melted white chocolate. To make your life easy, grab a large bowl that can easily accommodate all the ingredients and allow you room to toss them without spilling. If you don’t have one really large bowl just separate the mixture into two bowls.

Melt the chocolate slowly and stir it often: To avoid burning your chocolate, don’t rush the melting process! I like putting the chocolate chips (with a small amount of oil) in a microwave safe bowl and microwaving the chocolate in bursts of time. Just remember: the chocolate is still melting when you take it out of the microwave, so make sure to give the chocolate time to melt as you stir.

More Delicious Game Day Snacks:

Football Triple Chocolate Popcorn

Addicting and perfect for tailgating -- triple chocolate popcorn with chocolate-covered almond footballs

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chocolate popcorn

Servings: 8 -10 servings

Calories: 282 kcal

Author: Chelsea

Ingredients

12 cups Simple Truth Organic Popcorn

1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter

1/4 cup light corn syrup

1 cup light brown sugar, packed

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 of 1 full bag of miniature marshmallows

2 and 3/4 cups white chocolate chips, separated

2 and 1/4 teaspoons vegetable oil, separated

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

1/2 cup milk (or semi-sweet) chocolate chips

1 cup chocolate covered almonds

Instructions

Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper or a silpat liner and set aside.

Pour the popcorn in a very large bowl.

In a pot over medium heat, add the butter, corn syrup, brown sugar, and salt. Stir until the butter is melted and then bring to a boil. Let boil for 5 minutes without stirring. Remove from the heat and stir in the baking soda and vanilla extract.

Pour this mixture over the popcorn in the bowl and gently toss to combine.

Spread the coated popcorn on prepared cookie sheets.

Bake for 1 hour at 250 degrees F, stirring every 15 minutes and rotating the pans from top rack to bottom rack. Remove the pans and allow to completely cool.

Once the popcorn is completely cooled add to a very large bowl. Add in the miniature marshmallows and stir.

Melt 2 and 1/2 cups white chocolate chips and 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in a microwave safe bowl in bursts of 30 seconds, stirring in between each burst for 15 seconds until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Pour over the popcorn/marshmallow mixture and stir until popcorn and marshmallows are coated in white chocolate.

Pour the popcorn back on the two sheet pans.

Melt the dark chocolate chips with 1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil and drizzle evenly over the popcorn (I put the melted chocolate in a small plastic bag and cut off the tip with scissors and then pipe it on)

Melt the milk chocolate chips with 1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil and drizzle evenly over the popcorn.

Let the popcorn harden and then slightly break up and put in a large bowl.

Meanwhile, while the popcorn is setting up, prepare the chocolate almond footballs. Place out the chocolate almonds in an even layer on a sheet pan. Melt the remaining 1/4 cup white chocolate chips with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon vegetable oil. Once chocolate is completely melted and smooth, pour into a small plastic bag, seal, and cut off the very tip. Pipe football laces on the chocolate almonds. Let harden.

Add into the popcorn bowl and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts for this Triple Chocolate Popcorn:

Source: https://www.chelseasmessyapron.com/chocolate-popcorn/

[shamehill56-blog]

Yes, MISO is Awesome (But You Need to Know a Few Things Before You Eat It)

by Sarah Pope MGA Updated: December 05, 2018 Affiliate linksHealthy Living

Did you ever wonder where and why there are so many soy foods in America? Tempeh, edamame, tofu, shoyu, miso, and so many others.

If you are looking for a book that helps explain it all, I highly recommend Hippie Food, which came out fairly recently. 

If the world of soy has you confused, let’s clear the air on miso. This traditional food that can be either a blessing or a burden to your health depending on how you source and use it.

Soy: Inherently Inedible

Soy in its natural state is a rather inedible crop.

It wasn’t until about a millennia ago when people figured out that certain microorganisms plus fermentation rendered it food worthy for humans. Traditionally, fermented soy was consumed in very small amounts as a condiment.

So, while humans have cultivated soybeans for a very long time, they conciously limited its consumption in raw or cooked form. Only in modern times did unfermented soy become a staple in the diet for some people, particularly vegetarians.

Traditional cultures purposely kept soy in the diet to a minimum because they noted its negative effects. Science tells us that soy is loaded with anti-nutrients.

How loaded? Even plant based diet advocates concede that unprocessed soy presents significant problems.

According to the American Nutrition Association:

The raw soybean contains numerous anti-nutrients. Although processing can reduce them, it does not eliminate them. The raw soybean is an anti-coagulant (an agent that prevents blood clotting). The anti-coagulant property is not reversed by vitamin K, which is a highly effective blood-clotting agent. (1)

Unfermented Soy Disrupts Protein Digestion and Risks B12 Deficiency

In addition to triggering blood clotting issues, soy has the potential to block the enzyme trypsin which is necessary for proper protein digestion.

In turn, trypsin allows Vitamin B12 assimilation in the body.

Ironically then, regular consumption of soybeans whether as green edamame beans or in processed foods as a “healthy plant protein” increase the odds of protein deficiency.

Those that rely heavily on soy as a protein source may very well find themselves with a Vitamin B12 deficiency too as trypsin permits proper assimilation of this vitamin.

As if this wasn’t enough, soy is one of the highest foods on the planet in phytates. This substance binds to minerals especially zinc, calcium and magnesium, hindering the body from utilizing them.

Hemagglutinins is yet another potent anti-nutrient in the raw soybean. These substances have an ability to agglutinate (clump together) the red blood cells in humans and in other animal species, and significantly suppress growth. These anti-nutrients are known also as “phytoagglutinins” or lectins. (2)

Techniques that Make Soy Edible

Over a thousand years ago, people began to develop techniques to reduce the large amount of anti-nutrients in soy so that both animals and people could safely eat it. And again, modern science makes it clear, this is the only safe way to consume soy.

The anti-nutrients present in soybeans are slightly reduced by heat processing and/or cooking. Sprouting of soybeans is more controversial. Some sources say it reduces anti-nutrients while others suggest it makes things worse.

No matter who is correct, these potent substances are still present in significant enough levels after sprouting to be problematic over time.

As a result, the only acceptable approach currently available to satisfactorily render soy edible is traditional fermentation.

This approach utilizes benefical microbes that trigger a slow and beneficial chemical change in the soybeans.

Enzyme and trypsin inhibitors, phytates, meagglutinins, and vitamin/mineral blockers are all neutralized. Thus, consuming fermented soybeans renders this legume’s nutrients available and readily digestible by the human intestinal tract.

Miso Defined

Miso is the result of employing traditional fermentation techniques on cooked soybeans over a very long period of time.

Similar to natto, miso is made by first cooking soybeans and then inoculating the mixture with microorganisms.

With natto, it is bacteria. With miso, it is mold … technically, fungus. Specifically, the fungus koji (Aspergillus oryzae).

What? Miso Fermented with Mold??

Miso production dates back to before 700 AD. The food was so popular, the emperor established a bureau to oversee its production and trade, and of course, the taxes applied to it! (3)

Similar to natto, there is no one miso. Rather, miso is made by a general set of techniques and inputs, but miso makers, by playing with these variables, can create a wide range of final products that may vary substantially from one another.

For instance, they may use fungi cultured from rice (kome-miso), barley (mugi-miso), or soybeans alone (mame-miso) among other possible options. The final product may contain a mixture of main ingredients. (4)

More specifics are detailed in the cookbook The Japanese Kitchen by Hiroko Shimbo.

Types of Miso

Believe it or not there are over 1000 types of miso! Red miso, white miso, brown rice miso … and nearly every shade in between!

Producing authentic miso is a truly artisanal craft that requires time and patience similar to balsamic vinegar and wine among other coveted foods.

Thankfully, we can make the choice of what miso to use a little simpler.

Most miso is either light or dark.

Light miso is sweet – the product of a higher proportion of koji to soybean and a shorter time fermenting. This is the type typically served at Japanese restaurants in America. I use this reputable brand of white miso and have for years.

Dark miso is pungent – more soybeans, more salt, and more time spent fermenting make this a hearty, strongly scented and flavored final product. I prefer this brand of dark miso.

If you didn’t already guess, white misos are generally the place to start for those wanting to dabble in this food.

Ingredients should ONLY include organic whole soybeans, water, sea salt and koji. Acceptable optional ingredients are brown rice or barley. 

But why would you want to try out miso? Let’s look at its nutrition and possible health benefits.

Nutrition and Health Benefits

As mentioned above, humankind has consumed miso for over a thousand years for good reason.

First, since miso is cultured, it is a probiotic food, providing a host of benefits that living foods provide. The probiotic benefits extend beyond just good microbes.

Miso provides the elusive vitamin K2, enzymes, B-12, and more! The vitamin K2 in miso is the MK-7 rather than the animal form known as MK-4.

Miso is a good source of a number of minerals, such as copper, manganese, phosphorus, and zinc. No wonder proper preparation to eliminate phytates is so important. Without it, these wonderful minerals go unutilized by the digestive tract!

Miso is high in salt – one teaspoon generally contains 200-300 milligrams. Hence, those on sodium restricted diets may need to exercise caution and care with their miso consumption. Another option is to look for lower salt varieties.

When it comes to claims about heart, cancer, and other benefits and protections, the science is at best mixed on miso and other soy foods.  So, for the time being, take these claims with a grain of  salt … in your miso! (5)

Miso Dangers

Like any soy food, you should only consume organically grown, traditionally prepared miso-based products.

Soy is one of the world’s most heavily sprayed, unsafe GM crops. So conventional soy, regardless of preparation, is a health and environmental risk not worth taking.

Most restaurants serve miso soup made from GMO soybeans. Sometimes GMO tofu cubes are added. It is best to skip ordering this dish at a Japanese restaurant unless the menu specifically notes the use of organic ingredients.

The best of the best is generally made either at home, by small artisans, or by reputable outfits with larger distribution, but who still follow traditional methods and practices.

Other than high salt, miso has few risks, beyond those inherent to all soy foods.

The presence of thyroid suppressing goitrogens that because of pre-existing health conditions, iodine deficiency, or a general overconsumption of soy foods in lieu of the perfectly balanced proteins in animal foods can cause problems.

One final caution is for those sensitive to molds. Because miso is fermented with the fungus Aspergillus oryzae, it might be best to avoid it for that reason alone.

Is Miso Gluten Free?

Some types of miso are not gluten free. These would include those fermented with brown rice or barley.

If you are gluten sensitive or Celiac, be sure to source only mame-miso, made from soybeans, water, sea salt and koji alone.

Isoflavone Risks of Miso

Good news!

It does appear that some of the isoflovene risks of soy foods is muted in miso compared with other forms of soy.

Some of the health benefits provided by soy foods depend on the ability of bacteria or other micro-organisms to break down two of the soy’s isoflavones – daidzein and genistein—into related compounds (for example, equol). Interestingly, recent research has shown that many different strains of the fungus Aspergillus oryzae—by far the most widely-used fungus in the fermentation of miso—are capable of breaking down both daidzein and genistein. This finding is great news for anyone who already enjoys miso, or is considering adding miso to their diet.

If micro-organisms used in miso fermentation don’t break down some of the daidzein and genistein into other compounds like equol, it’s up to the micro-organisms in our digestive tract to do so. While it is fantastic when we have the right balance of micro-organisms in our digestive tract to help us get optimal nourishment and health benefits from our food, those conditions don’t always hold true. So it can be very helpful when a miso-fermenting fungus like Aspergillus oryzae helps breaks down the daidzein and genistein before the miso ever reaches our digestive tract! (6)

This is promising information indeed. Future research will hopefully shed even more light on this beneficial aspect of miso production.

Note that just because isoflavones in miso are potentially broken down by Aspergillus oryzae, doesn’t mean they are not in fact present in a form that is hormonally disruptive in some way.

In other words, don’t operate under the assumption that miso poses no hormonal risks whatsoever if you have a pre-existing condition in this area. Exercise caution and consult with your practitioner before deciding to consume it regularly.

Storage and Shelf Life

Since miso is a living food containing numerous beneficial enzymes and probiotics, it requires proper storage. Refrigeration is best, although a cool, dark cellar can work too if you live in a northern clime.

Never keep it in a warm kitchen pantry or cabinet.

Color, smell, and flavor can change during storage and frequently do. Hence, it is best to consume it in a timely fashion, usually within a few weeks after opening.

That said, because it is fermented, a container of miso will last in the refrigerator for months and months much like homemade sauerkraut. If it doesn’t have mold, it can still be eaten. But, you might not enjoy the flavor as well if it is months old.

How to Serve Miso Properly

The traditional way to serve miso is as a soup. Simply blending the miso paste into hot water or bonito broth is all that is required.

Sometimes, a few small cubes of bean curd and kombu are added.

Since miso is a living food, blending into a liquid that is too hot negates much of the health benefit!

As a result, take care to ensure that the water or broth is no more than 117 F degrees (47 C) when it contacts the miso. This is the liquid temperature above which enzymes and probiotics are destroyed.

A quick read from a digital food thermometer is all that you need. This is a must have tool in the kitchen if one of your goals is to maximize nutrients in your dishes.

Making the Most of Miso’s Many Health Benefits

Another reason miso is so popular is because it adds umami – the fifth taste – to most any dish which includes it. One of my favorites is this Italian vegetable soup that uses dark miso as the soup base.

Especially for those restricting or unable to access sufficient meat, miso makes a good substitute to provide deep, rich flavors that are otherwise lacking.

Remember, miso is a condiment or small addition to dishes, so treat it as such. Use it to bolster the flavor of a soup or similar dish, or mixed into salad dressing or similar spreads and dips to add flavor and nutrition. It works great as part of a marinade, and has a long history of use with fish and other seafood.

References

(1, 2) American Nutrition Association. The Downside of Soybean Consumption

(3, 4) What is Miso?

(5, 6) What’s New and Beneficial about Miso

Sarah Pope has been a Health and Nutrition Educator since 2002. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Weston A. Price Foundation.

Sarah was awarded Activist of the Year at the International Wise Traditions Conference in 2010.

Sarah earned a Bachelor of Arts (summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa) in Economics from Furman University and a Master’s degree in Government (Financial Management) from the University of Pennsylvania.

Mother to three healthy children, blogger, and best-selling author, she writes about the practical application of Traditional Diet and evidence-based wellness within the modern household. Her work has been featured by USA Today, The New York Times, National Review, ABC, NBC, and many others.

Source: https://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/miso-basics-and-benefits/

[shamehill56-blog]

Weeknight Shepherd’s Pie (Paleo, Whole30)

Casseroles are the comfie blanket of food, but between us friends, the idea of preparing one on a weeknight makes me feel a little overwhelmed: Cook the components, layer them in a dish, bake them in the oven—it seems like so much work! This recipe is an inversion of a casserole. It takes the essential parts of paleo Shepherd’s Pie—creamy mashed cauliflower and lamb seasoned with the herbs of the British Isles—and gets them onto your plate in less than half an hour. No casserole dish or baking required.

Weeknight Shepherd’s Pie

Serves 2–4 | Total time: 25–30 minutes | Whole30 compliant

Ingredients:

Cauliflower Mash:

Lamb:

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 medium yellow onion

1 teaspoon salt

1 clove garlic

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

1 1/2 pounds ground lamb

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1/2 cup water or chicken broth

1 teaspoon coconut aminos or gluten-free Worcestershire sauce

garnish: a handful fresh parsley

Directions:

1

Start the mash. Place the water in a medium saucepan and bring it to a boil. Break the cauliflower into florets and add them to the pot, cover with a lid, and steam the cauliflower for about 10 minutes or until tender, adding more water if necessary. Remove the pan from heat, cover to keep hot, and set aside.

2

Cook the meat. Warm the oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, 2 minutes. While the oil heats, finely dice the onion. Add the onion and a pinch of salt to the pan and cook until the onion is tender and translucent, 5–7 minutes. While the onion cooks, peel and crush the garlic and combine it with 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, rosemary, and thyme in a small bowl; set aside. Crumble the lamb into the skillet and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until it is just pink, about 3 minutes. Add the spices and stir to combine. Push the meat to the side of the skillet and drop in the tomato paste; fry it about 2 minutes. Add the water and coconut aminos, then stir to combine and reduce the heat to low. Simmer, uncovered, until the water is mostly gone and the meat is saucy, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile…

3

Finish the mash. Place about half of the steamed cauliflower into a food processor bowl and purée until smooth. Add the rest of the cauliflower and purée again. With the motor running, add the ghee, salt, and pepper through the feed tube. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Mince the parsley.

4

To serve, divide cauliflower mash among individual serving bowls, then top with ground meat and sprinkle with parsley.

You Know How You Could Do That?

Replace the ground lamb with ground beef (a.k.a. cottage pie), or try the Chilean version called “pastel de papa” by adding raisins, black olives, and chopped hard-boiled eggs to the ground meat.

Cookup Tips

Make the cauliflower mash and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. When it’s time to eat, reheat the cauli mash in a small saucepan while you cook the lamb.

March 29 Posted byMelissa Joulwan

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Source: https://meljoulwan.com/2018/12/17/weeknight-shepherds-pie-paleo-whole30/