Easy crockpot beef casserole

I know I’ve posted about it before, but I love my crockpot!* I love the fact that I can leave the house with a bunch of raw ingredients in a pot, and come home to a beautifully fragrant, perfectly cooked dinner (sometimes this happens when Bear cooks too, but the crockpot doesn’t leave as much mess for me to clean up afterwards!). As my crockpot is pretty basic and doesn’t have it’s own built-in timer, I like to use a wall timer so that I don’t come home to a dried-up, over-cooked, unrecognisable pile of mush.

So for those of you who’ve been asking for more crockpot ideas, here’s a really fast and simple recipe.

*I imagine that the crockpot is only going to become more and more loved once our little bubba enters our world, and my time and energy available for creating paleo delicacies decreases even further.

Easy crockpot beef casserole

2 onions
3 cloves garlic
500g blade steak
2 tins of chopped tomatoes in juice
2 carrots, chopped into chunks
2 capsicums, chopped into chunks (I used 1 green, 1 red)
3 small dried bay leaves
2 tsp dried herbs (I used 1 tsp of mixed herbs, 1 of oregano)

Place all ingredients into a crockpot and stir to combine. Cook on low for 6 hours, stirring halfway through if possible.

Serve with cauliflower mash (or cauliflower rice, kumara mash…whatever you fancy)

Accidental Brownie

This recipe doesn't come with any photos, sorry, because it didn't actually start out as a) brownie or b) for my blog! I was actually intending on making this recipe here. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately), I quickly discovered that our new blender, as amazing as it is, isn't actually a good replacement for the dying food processor that I threw away. As such, all the nuts and dried fruit just ended up in a big solid lump around the blender blades. So I decided to improvise, add more liquid, and turn it into a brownie batter...and OMG, I think it was actually one of the best examples of paleo baking that I've come up with!

Ingredients

100gms 85% dark chocolate (melted)
1 cup (not packed) soft dates
1 cup of nuts (I used cashews and hazelnuts)
1/2 cup shredded coconut
2 tbsp coconut flour
1 tsp baking soda
3 eggs
3 tbsp Dutch cocoa
250 ml (1 cup) coconut cream

Basically, just throw all the ingredients into a blender and blend until the mixture becomes a smooth batter.

I then baked it at 180 degrees celsius, in a square cake tin lined with baking paper. I can't remember how long I cooked it for, sorry, but I think it was probably about 30 minutes. You'd want the top to bounce back when you push it gently.

Quick & easy paleo 'desserts'

I know, I know...it's been aaages since I posted! To make up for it, here's two recipes for simple, quick, 'desserts'. I put desserts in inverted commas because they're not super sweet and they're not even particularly high carb (especially if you cut the dried fruit out of the second one), but they are pretty tasty. Enjoy!

Cookie dough bites

I gave these tasty morsels the name ‘Cookie Dough Bites’ because the mixture looks like cookie dough. Be warned, they’re not sweet like cookie dough, so don’t go expecting a sugar explosion in your mouth!!

3 handfuls of almonds
3 tbsp coconut butter
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ground vanilla
¼ tsp of salt
3 tbsp cocoa nibs
Dessicated coconut

(if you want it sweet, you could add some honey or pure maple syrup)

Process the almonds in a food processor until fine, then add coconut butter, cinnamon, vanilla & salt, and continue blending until it becomes a thick paste (you will need to scrape it down from the sides every so often).

Remove from food processor and stir in cocoa nibs.

Roll mixture into small balls, then coat in dessicated coconut. Freeze for at least 20 minutes before serving.

(No photo of this one, sorry - it was on my stolen iPhone)

Nuts about berries

Chopped raw almonds
Chopped dried apricots, dates, or other dried fruit (optional)
Blueberries (fresh or frozen)
A handful of cocoa nibs
A pinch of ground vanilla
A sprinkle of cinnamon
Coconut cream

Mix it all together in a bowl & enjoy. Just remember to go easy on the dried fruit (or even cut them out all together), as they're pretty high in sugars, even if they are natural!

The greatest thing since sliced (paleo) bread...

I don't really miss bread anymore, but just occasionally, it's nice to have something bread-like to accompany a meal. This bread paleo recipe here (shared with me by a CrossFit friend) is simple and versatile.

I doubled the recipe and added a bit of flavouring, so the recipe ended up being:

3 tbsp melted coconut oil
4 eggs
4 very heaped tsp of coconut flour

1 tsp baking powder

Onion flakes (probably around 2 tsp)

1 tsp smoked paprika

I had some for breakfast, topped with scrambled eggs and olive oil..

The rest, I had for dinner, as a Tuna & bacon open paleo sandwich

In a bowl, I combined a small tin of tuna, a few spoonfuls of homemade wasabi mayonnaise (in the fridge from last week), and some capers.

Leaving that to sit for a while, I grilled some bacon, and toasted a couple of slices of paleo coconut bread (under the grill, as we don't own a toaster!). Then I mashed some avocado & spread that on the toasted bread, and spread the tuna on top.

On top of the tuna, I added the grilled bacon and a couple of slices of tomato.

Season with salt & pepper, and enjoy. If you're eating it with your hands, it might be useful to have a napkin within easy reach!

More Paleo for Dummies

So I last left you at Tuesday dinner. Here are a few more quick & easy meal ideas...

Wednesday

Breakfast - bacon, scrambled eggs, kumara & avocado

This is really easy, and a fairly standard breakfast for us when we have time to cook it.

Heat the oven to 200-220 degrees, slice kumara thinly (I use a mandolin), then spread out on a baking tray covered with baking paper. Spray kumara with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, then cook until crispy (turning with a fish slice a few times). Depending on how much kumara you are cooking, this will probably take around half an hour.

Whilst the kumara is cooking, partly cook your bacon in a large frypan (mostly just to get some bacon fat off it to cook your eggs in!), then transition this to a baking dish and place in the oven until crispy.

Crack eggs into a jug, add salt, pepper, and any other desired seasonings (e.g., onion flakes, garlic salt, mixed herbs) then beat with a fork. Just before kumara and bacon are ready, pour eggs into a heated frypan and stir with a non-stick spatula until cooked. Serve with bacon and kumara, with some avocado on the side.

Thursday

Breakfast - paleo muesli

I don't always feel like a cooked breakfast in the mornings, so this is a great alternative!

In a bowl, combine some chopped nuts, seeds, and desiccated coconut (I keep a container of nut and seed mix in the cupboard ready to go. The current one consists of chopped almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts and cashews, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, flaxseed, and desiccated coconut).

Add a couple of spoonfuls of protein powder (I use Vital Protein - www.vitalhealthnz.co.nz), a handful of blueberries (fresh or frozen), a few spoonfuls of unsweetened applesauce and a drop of pure vanilla extract. Pour over some coconut cream (I also add some water, otherwise it's too rich for me) and combine.

On Friday morning, I made this with almond milk instead of the coconut milk and water - it was just as good, if not better!

Friday

Dinner - Steak with balsamic beetroot & tomato salad

For the salad:

Chop 1 fresh beetroot into cubes and roast in a baking dish for approximately 1 hour at 180 degrees celcius (I roasted mine in a spoonful of duck fat).

In a separate bowl, combine 2 diced tomatoes, 1/4C extra virgin olive oil, 1/8C balsamic vinegar, and salt & pepper to taste.

Finely chop a handful of fresh basil.

When beetroot has cooled a little, add beetroot, basil, and some lightly toasted some chopped almonds (optional) to the tomato mixture and combine.

For the steak:

Season steak well with salt and pepper.

Heat pan/BBQ (I cook my steak on a cast iron grill pan, or on the barbecue). Place steak in pan and cook on both sides, turning only once. Cooking time depends on the thickness of your steak and how well you like it cooked!

Sunday

Dinner - pepper crusted tuna steaks with wasabi mayonnaise, fresh asparagus, and kumara mash

(I forgot to take photos of the preparation - sorry!)

To make the mayonnaise, I followed this recipe here from one of my favourite paleo blogs - The Clothes Make the Girl. I've made this recipe several times, and it's produced amazing mayonnaise every single time! This time, I didn't have any lemons, so I used 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar instead. I also cut the mustard powder, because I wanted to make wasabi mayonnaise - instead, I added a teaspoon of fresh wasabi (not the horrible stuff you buy in the tube...have you ever read the ingredient list on that?!), and stirred more into the final product until I got the flavour I wanted.

For the tuna steaks, grind a whole lot of black pepper and add some salt to it. Place the tuna steaks into the ground pepper to coat. Heat a fry pan (I used my cast iron grill pan again) then cook tuna over medium heat for 3-4 minutes on each side. Tuna should still be pink (i.e., rare) in the middle.

I started the asparagus off on the grill pan, but then realised that it was going to take too long like that, so transfered it to a steamer!

For the kumara, chop kumara and boil until soft. Mash, then add salt, pepper, and a couple of spoonfuls of the wasabi mayonnaise in it's original form (i.e., before you add the extra wasabi at the end!), and beat with a fork until creamy.

Monday

Dinner - one-pot mince & veges (like the one-pot pasta my Mum used to make, but without the pasta!)

I didn't take photos of the prep for this one, because I wasn't even planning on posting it! I was originally going to make meatballs, but I was tired & couldn't really be bothered cooking, so I just wanted something I could throw together. Then I remembered that that's just the sort of thing I'm supposed to be posting!

Heat a spoonful of oil or fat in a large saucepan (I used duck fat again). Add a large clove of crushed garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for a minute or two. Add beef mince to the pan and cook until browned. Throw in some chopped vegetables (mine involved broccoli, yellow capsicum, & courgette). I then added a pot of tomatoes that I'd stewed up previously and put in the freezer, but a couple of tins of tomatoes would also do. Season with salt, pepper, onion flakes (I would have used fresh onion, but we didn't have any), and mixed herbs; stir; and simmer until vegetables are soft.

I felt like it still needed some more flavour after all this, so I also added in a bit of chili powder, some smoked paprika, a couple of capfuls of apple cider vinegar, and a glug of pomegranate molasses. Sorry it's not more specific, but that's how I roll!

ps: if you want to get hold of Vital Protein or Vital Greens, you can either order some through me, or go to the website and use the code PP2060C at checkout to get a 15% discount

Paleo for Dummies

Wow...I knew it had been a while since I posted, but I just saw that it's actually been over a month!! Oops - sorry! You'll all be relieved to know that I haven't actually been starving myself this whole entire time - I have still been cooking tasty, nutritious meals...but because I've been super busy, I haven't been creating anything amazing (aka gourmet, or what I considered blog-worthy). Thanks to the prompts (nagging?) of a couple of friends though, I've realised that what most people want is actually ideas and inspiration for quick, nutritious...but still delicious...everyday meals. So for the next little while at least, that's what you're going to get! I've been taking photos of all the food prep I've done in the last couple of days (and I'll keep doing it), so I can post them along with explanations of what I did. As one friend called it, "Paleo for Dummies"! I hope you find it useful.

Monday
Dinner - red curry pork & vegetables

To prep vegetables, grate one eggplant and finely chop quarter of a cabbage. Combine and set aside.

In a large frypan or wok, heat a small amount of coconut oil, then add 2 cloves of crushed garlic and 3 tbsp red curry paste (use 2 if you don't like it so hot!). Cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant (usually a few minutes).

Add in 500g of free range pork mince, and stir to break up.

Cook until browned, stirring often, then add vegetables and half a tin of coconut cream. Combine thoroughly.

Continue to cook until vegetables have softened, then serve.

Tuesday
Breakfast - quick tuna frittata-ish thing!

For this, you need a small tin of tuna, two eggs, onion flakes, garlic powder, dried mixed herbs, salt, pepper, and olive oil (and an optional tomato or something to serve alongside it).

Lightly spray a small frypan with olive oil and heat. Lightly fry tuna, breaking it up by stirring.

In a bowl or jug, beat together eggs and seasonings. Add to frypan, and lightly stir to combine.

As with an omelette, push edges in towards centre slightly with a spatula, allowing runny egg to flow into space created. Repeat a few times around the pan.

Leave over a medium heat until the egg has cooked firm and the frittata is browning at the edges.

I'm a bit funny about having any of the egg runny (I like runny yolks in poached and fried eggs, but runny whites or runny egg in omelettes/frittatas makes me want to gag!), so I stick my frittata under the grill for a few minutes to completely cook the top. Serve drizzled with olive oil and accompanied with something fresh! (chopped avocado is nice with this too)

Dinner - crockpot roast chicken & stir-fried vegetables

I've been a big fan of the crockpot for a while, but now that I'm not usually home from work until 7pm, it's fast becoming my best friend! Crockpot roast chicken is super easy, and it's nice to know you only have to throw together some vegetables when you get home.

For the chicken, chop an onion and cover the bottom of the crockpot with it. Rub the skin of a defrosted, free range whole chicken with salt, pepper, and olive oil. Top with some dried herbs (I used my home grown, dehydrated sage), then place in the crockpot.

Cook on low for 5-6 hours (I used a wall socket timer for this, so that it finished about the time I get home). You should come home to something that looks a bit like this...

For the vegetables, I just chopped up what I had in the fridge (more cabbage, some red capsicum, and another eggplant), heated some coconut oil in a frypan and cooked them all together. I may have added some crushed garlic in first...I can't quite remember! Once the chicken was done, I tipped the onions and some of the juice (not all of it, or the vegetables will get drowned) from the chicken into the other vegetables and cooked for another few minutes before serving.

Ok, I think that's enough for now! Wednesday's & Thursday's breakfasts, plus Thursday's dinner to come soon.

(Note: there are no photos of lunches, because in our household, lunches are almost always leftover dinner! Some people prefer to cook a whole bunch of food in the weekend to put in the freezer for the week's lunches, but I like a bit of variety, so we just make sure we cook enough dinner to cover lunch the following day.)

Broccoli, red onion & almond salad

Sorry for my recent silence...I've been getting my head around a new job & adjusting to a new schedule, whilst simultaneously getting used to being on my feet most days & coping with the addition of several extra sessions of yoga/pilates/boxing/other forms of exercise (all in the name of work). I love my job...but it's certainly been taking it out of me! Last week, I actually listened to my body (I think this might be a first!) and, after struggling through a CrossFit workout on Monday, declared the remainder of the week 'yoga week'. It paid off! I was able to return to CrossFit this morning feeling much stronger, more energetic, and definitely more enthusiastic. 

Lesson learnt? Maybe!

Despite my absence, I have still been taking note of some of the things I've made over the last few weeks, so I'll hopefully be posting more regularly again now. Except that my phone got stolen on Friday, so I might be missing a few photos :(

Anyway, at some point over the last couple of weeks, I threw this salad together...

Broccoli, red onion & almond salad

Ingredients

Sesame oil
Red onion, chopped
Broccoli, steamed
Almonds, roughly chopped

Heat a small amount of sesame oil in a saucepan; add onion & cook until soft. Add steamed broccoli & almonds. Cook for a few more minutes, stirring often. Served drizzled with a little more sesame oil.

This was great as an accompaniment to a good barbecued steak!

Also worked well with some chopped cold steak for lunch the next day.

Do you know where you're going?

Wow, what a year 2011 was! I traded PhD study for a grown-up's job, I got engaged, I got married, then I quit the grown-up's job and found a new one. I started this blog, I learnt to measure ingredients (sometimes) and I got in the habit of taking photos of my food (when Bear reminded me). I had some big victories in my own CrossFit training, and I had times when I couldn't remember what victory felt like. I laughed, I cried, I loved, and I cooked. It was a pretty amazing year. Thank you, 2011.

And now, it's 2012. A new year. I'm stoked to have started a new job with lululemon athletica, my CrossFit training is back on track, and I'm super excited about what this year might bring. Now it's time to sit down, reflect on my vision of my life in 10 years' time, and set the goals that are going to help get me there.

Do you set goals? You should! Goals help provide direction and meaning. They give us a focus - a step-by-step guide, if you like, as to how to go about creating the life we want. When Chip Wilson (founder of lululemon athletica) started setting goals, he found that: "My mind calmed down. I knew exactly where I was going, I knew exactly what I wanted to do."

Chip's take on goal setting

If you haven't tried it before, why not start now? If you're not sure where to start, ask someone to help you. If you're in Auckland, lululemon athletica Britomart showroom is holding a goal setting seminar on the 25th of January (click here for details); Cliff Harvey is a goal setting guru; or you can always give me a shout for a bit of guidance.

Do it!

And while you're thinking about it, here are a couple of paleo festive options that we implemented this year...

Caveman Christmas Crackers
For as long as I can remember, we have made our own Christmas crackers. Typically, my younger brother and I do them the day before Christmas. They involve used toilet rolls, crepe paper, stick-on stars, ribbon, and as many lollies as can possibly be stuffed into each toilet roll!

This year, I wasn't so keen on the whole 'stuffed with lollies' idea, so I suggested I make a nut mix for mine and Bear's. Turned out the rest of the family also liked that idea, so we all had Caveman Christmas crackers!

Nut mix:

Mixed nuts (I used cashews, almonds, hazelnuts & macadamias)
Spoonful of coconut oil
Spices: cinnamon, ground cloves, ground ginger, ground vanilla
Chopped dried apricots
Dried cranberries
85% dark chocolate, roughly chopped

Mix nuts, coconut oil & spices together in a bowl, then pour into a roasting dish and roast at 180 degrees until nuts are starting to brown. Make sure you mix it regularly so that they don't burn.

Remove from oven and leave to cool.

Once cool, add in dried fruit and chocolate pieces.

Stuff the mixture into your Christmas crackers...or just enjoy it as a tasty nut mix!

Paleo Stuffing
We've always traditionally had a bread stuffing for our turkey. Last year, I made a paleo stuffing with lots of dried fruit & nuts (from a recipe I found online), but Mum wasn't so keen on it, so this year, I had to try again. This one got Mum's seal of approval, so I think we can call it a success!

2 tbsp oil
1 onion, diced
Dried cranberries
1 apple, diced
1/2C chopped fresh herbs (I used Italian parsley and sage)
Zest of 1 lemon
3 x gluten-free pork sausages (meat removed and casings discarded)
1 egg

Almond meal
Salt & pepper

Heat oil in a frypan and fry onion until soft. Leave to cool.

In a bowl, combine cranberries, apple, herbs and lemon zest. Add onion, sausage meat and egg, and mix to combine. Gradually stir in almond meal, a spoonful at a time, until the mixture is gluey (i.e., it sticks together) but not too dry.

You can cook this stuffing in the turkey (we used a de-boned, rolled turkey, but a whole turkey would also work), or you can bake it separately in a baking dish (which we did with the leftover stuffing).