Bacon and Sage Sweet Potatoes with Maple Syrup

I began this blog because I want to help my friends find REAL FOOD to eat. I'm a stay at home mom with a 4 year old boy so my days are busy with a bundle of energy. Each afternoon we go to Taekwondo lessons and during the day I'm trying to sort our an attempt to homeschool. My husband works in emergency medicine so when he goes to work it's either for 12 or 24 hours. Sometimes he'll work at one of the bases outside of town and he'll be gone for a few days at a time. What I'm trying to convey is that I have a notebook of recipes but I don't always have the time to take perfect photos to go with each one. As the little one gets older I'm hoping to have more time but for now I'll share what I can. Some posts may contain photos taken from my cell phone camera and others may not have any photos. In the future my goal is to go back and remedy this situation but for now I'm going to share recipes as I create them.

These potatoes were FANTASTIC and I'll be putting them on my holiday menu for years to come. Since I gave up added sugar almost a year ago my taste buds have changed and most things that are sweetened for the regular population are entirely too sweet for me. I honestly can't believe that we add sugar and marshmallows to sweet potatoes. They are so incredibly sweet already. So, here is a savory version to balance out the sweetness.

4 sweet potatoes peeled and diced
7 slices of thick sliced bacon
2T of Nutiva shortening, ghee, bacon fat, or butter
12 fresh sage leaves
1/2t salt
3T maple syrup

I've found that the quickest way to cook sweet potatoes is to steam them because they seem to take all day in the oven. I also recently read somewhere that baked sweet potatoes have a higher glycemic index than boiled sweet potatoes. I'm not sure how steamed sweet potatoes rate on the scale but I'm guessing that it has to be less than a baked sweet potato.

Cut the potatoes into bite sized chunks and steam them just until they are fork tender but not mushy. I'm sure it would taste great either way but in terms of appearance and texture I think cooked chunks will work better. For reference, I steamed my sweet potatoes for 20 minutes.

While the potatoes are steaming cook the bacon in the oven. I put a cooling rack on a cookie sheet to catch the oil. That way there are not any splatters or a big mess to clean up. Time and temperature will depend on the thickness of your bacon and how crispy you like it. For thick sliced bacon I use 375F and let it bake 20 minutes or so. After it's cool I cut it into bite sized pieces about 1/2" thick.

When the bacon and sweet potatoes are almost done melt your fat of choice in a skillet and add the fresh sage leaves to fry. Using 12 sage leaves there were hints of sage in the dish but it wasn't overpowering. If you'd like more of a pronounced sage flavor simply use more leaves. Frying sage leaves can be tricky because it's a super quick process. If the leaves turn brown they are burnt whereas they will be dark green when they are crispy. I usually cook both sides for a total time of about 60 seconds, 30 seconds each side. A pair of tongs is very handy for this quick task.

In a bowl add the sweet potatoes, bacon, crumbled sage leaves, and salt. Pour the fat the sage leaves were cooked in over the potatoes along with maple syrup. Toss to combine and enjoy.

AIP Breakfast Sausage

When I think of breakfast sausage I always think of Jimmy Dean sausage. That's the flavor I grew up with and I've always been disappointed in the past when I've ordered sausage at a restaurant that didn't taste like theirs. So when I set out to create a breakfast sausage their flavor is what I was aiming for.

Whether you're following the auto-immune paleo lifestyle, whole 30, paleo, or are gluten free Jimmy Dean breaks the rules. For some of you it doesn't matter but I'm strictly autoimmune paleo for now so a cheat often means a reaction that could possibly affect me for days. I love your sausage flavor Jimmy Dean but it's simply not worth not feeling well. The ingredients on the original roll of sausage are:

INGREDIENTS: PORK, WATER, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF THE FOLLOWING: CORN SYRUP, SALT, SPICES, SUGAR, MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE, FLAVORINGS.

The only ingredients in the list above that I can tolerate are: pork, water, and salt. I understand that companies fear someone will steal their recipe but I REALLY need to know what the spices and flavorings are. The autoimmune protocol is all about healing the intestinal lining so nightshade and seed spices are not allowed. Furthermore I need to know how the pork was raised. If it spent it's life in a cramped cage unable to turn around then that isn't something I want to support with my money. Since I'm also trying to improve my gut flora I don't want a dose of antibiotics. That is my other motivation to making my own sausage, I know where the pork came from.

Breakfast Sausage

2 lb ground pork
2t salt (coarse) or 1t of finely ground salt
2t nutritional yeast
1T ground oregano
1T fresh rosemary

In a bowl combine all of the ingredients with your hands until mixed thoroughly. I know the nutritional yeast sounds weird but trust me. There is just a bit and it gives a hint of a cheesy flavor. If this isn't something you typically use in your kitchen buy a little bit from the bulk section in your local health food store instead of a large container.

Form the sausage into patties and use in a recipe or simply make patties and brown both sides in a skillet over medium-medium/high heat. My new years resolution for this year is not to buy anything for myself so I'm also looking for other ways to buy less. In the picture below you'll see that instead of putting the sausage on a paper towel to drain I put them on a cooling rack over a baking sheet.

Bacon Kale Chips

Some things just make sense eh? Bacon and Kale go very well together. Also, good quality bacon isn't the cheapest on the shelf. I prefer to buy my bacon from a local source so that I know how the pig was treated. Recently Chipotle took pork off of their menu due to the ethical concerns of how pigs are raised. Between horrible treatment of animals and the questionable ingredients added to bacon I've been playing with making my own. Recipe to come. So if I'm going to go to the effort to source high quality pork, uncured, that doesn't have any nasty chemicals you'd better believe that I'm going to save the bacon fat. Bacon fat is great to cook with. Not only does it have a high smoke point but it also gives amazing flavors to anything you cook in it.

I keep my bacon fat in a mason jar in the refrigerator. For this recipe you'll need to heat the fat slightly. You don't want to turn it into a hot liquid. I popped mine into the microwave for a few seconds. (go in 10 second increments until you achieve the desired consistency) It was still white but was no longer solid.

Here is my bowl of kale chips. It looks a bit empty because I kept eating them while the second and third trays cooked. I wanted crispy chips so I made sure that none of the kale was touching another piece. There weren't many chips on the last tray but I suggest spacing them out instead of overcrowding the chips, no matter how many trips to the oven you have to make.



Bacon Kale Chips

8 kale leaves torn into pieces, stems removed
3T of bacon fat
1/2 t salt

Bake at 350 F for 10 minutes on a cooling rack over a baking sheet. I'd always baked kale chips directly on a piece of parchment on a baking sheet but some parts of the chips came out over cooked from direct contact with the sheet whereas other parts were sometimes soggy. When I cook bacon I put it on a cooling rack over a baking sheet and it comes out perfectly crisp so I decided to give it a try with kale chips.






As you can see below they came out perfectly crisp and not burnt or soggy. The next time I make these I think I'll grind up some cooked bacon into a dust and sprinkle it over the chips before I bake them for an extra bacon kick.

Sausage Lovers Paleo Supreme Pizza

I first learned the concept of a meatza from Melissa Joulwan, author of Well Fed. While I can't take credit for the meatza concept I do take credit for these seasonings. Honestly, I think this is better than the traditional pizza served on a doughy crust. Instead of dough, my crust is made of homemade Italian sausage. I like to make my own sausage because not only can I control the seasoning but I can also assure the quality of meat and how it was raised.

For the crust:

1 lb ground pork
1t salt
pepper
1t granulated garlic
1t fresh rosemary finely chopped
1/4t ground oregano
1/2t fennel seeds
1/2t onion powder
1/4t crushed red pepper flakes

Combine the ingredients above with your hands and then press into a cast iron skillet. I used a 10" skillet. (11" at the top and 10" at the bottom) You could also use a 9" pie plate or something similar. Then put the crust into the oven at 400F for 15 minutes without toppings.

While the crust is baking mix up this no-cook pizza sauce:

2T of tomato paste
1C of strained tomatoes
1/2t salt
1/2t garlic

I know most people think that eating well is too difficult so I purposely made this sauce easy to throw together. You want the sauce to be thicker rather than thinner. If it's too thin it will get watery in the oven. It won't taste bad but you'll lose some of your sauce.

Remove the pizza crust from the oven and hold the crust in the pan with a spatula as you tilt the pan to drain the grease. Melissa transfers the crust to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Either will work.

Supreme pizza was my favorite before I adopted my paleo lifestyle and this pizza definitely fills that craving for me, and then some. Add as much sauce as you like. If any is remaining store it in the freezer for a quick addition to another dish. You can top this pizza however you wish. I thinly sliced green peppers, onions, and mushrooms and then layered pepperoni, the large size, from Applegate farms on top. Omit pepperoni for Whole 30 unless you can find pepperoni without sugar.

Return the pizza to the oven for another 15 minutes and then enjoy

Pork Chops With Mushrooms and a Rosemary Pan Sauce

Before I began this post I had to do a little research on whether or not wine is paleo so that I could figure out what labels to give this post. Technically alcohol isn't paleo but it doesn't seem to be a hard and fast rule. From what I read most people avoid the drinks that contain gluten and they moderately enjoy red wine for the health benefits of resveratrol. I had to look it up because there is 1/2C of white wine in this recipe but it is reduced to remove the alcohol. So the way I see it you'll end up with a touch of sugar. For those on Whole 30 definitely don't add the alcohol but if you are paleo, it's up to you. If you omit the wine you may need to adjust the thickness of the sauce with a touch more stock.

This is one of those dishes that doesn't take much time to make so this would be great for a weeknight dinner and for those who do not eat pork, chicken would also work in this recipe.

Chop 6 cremini mushrooms and 2 cloves of garlic before you begin. If you'd like more mushrooms, a different type, or no mushrooms feel free to adjust the recipe.

Generously salt and pepper 6 thick cut pork chops. Over medium / medium high heat add just enough oil to lightly cover the bottom of a stainless steel skillet. If you add too much it just creates more splatters for you to clean up later. I also recommend stainless over non-stick because you'll get better browning. Cast iron would work if you are not using wine. I find that ingredients with a lot of acidity tend to develop a metallic taste when cooked in cast iron unless the iron is coated with ceramic.

Before you begin let me give you a heads up. While you are cooking, fond is going to develop in the bottom of the pan. These brown bits are going to help us create our pan sauce so keep on eye on them and turn down the heat if you need to to keep them from burning. If the fond burns then we won't be able to use them for a sauce. No worries, the stock and arrowroot can be heated together in another pan to create a sauce but the flavor won't be as good.

When the pan is hot place the chops into the pan laying them away from you so that any splatters will most likely jump away from you. If you do not hear a sizzle when the meat touches the pan then it is not hot enough so wait and try again. I find that if I move the chops a little after they are added they won't stick on the bottom of the pan as much. Either way, when they are brown and ready to flip they should release from the pan on their own.

After both sides of the pork chops have been browned transfer them to a plate and add the mushrooms. You may need to add more oil or ghee to the pan to cook the mushrooms. Initially the mushrooms will absorb the oil from the pan and when they are just about done you will notice that most of the oil will reappear in the pan. I prefer my mushrooms pretty dark but I think the fond will ultimately determine how brown you can get them. About a minute or so before the mushrooms are done add 2 cloves of finely chopped garlic to the pan and saute for the remaining minute.

Add 1/2C of white wine to the mushrooms and garlic and allow it to cook until nearly reduced by half. Use a wine that you enjoy drinking. For this recipe I used a riesling. In a measuring cup dissolve 2t of arrowroot in 2C of cold broth, either chicken or mushroom, and add it to the pan. It is fine if the broth is room temperature, just not hot, because the arrowroot won't dissolve properly in hot liquid. Using a whisk, or whatever tool you like, stir the broth making a point to scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. When the sauce begins to boil it will thicken. If you'd like it a little thicker use just enough cold water to dissolve another teaspoon of arrowroot and add it to the sauce. Return the pork chops to the pan and turn the heat down to medium and let them simmer for a few minutes. If you suspect they did not cook completely during the browning process because they are a thicker cut, place a lid on the pan and let them simmer for a few minutes.

At the very end add a whole sprig of fresh rosemary about 3-4" in length to the sauce and submerge it. Let it simmer in the sauce for a few minutes and then give the sauce a taste. I only cook it in the sauce for a few minutes because I prefer it with a hint of rosemary so that it doesn't overpower the other flavors of the sauce. If you'd like more of a rosemary flavor simply cook it a bit longer. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if you need to.

Remove the rosemary and serve. I'd say this recipe is roughly 30 minutes start to finish.

6 chops
6 cremini mushrooms
2 cloves of garlic
1/2C white wine
2C of broth, either chicken or mushroom
2t of arrowroot starch
sprig of rosemary
salt and pepper

Slow Cooker Carnitas

A few years ago I took a trip to Mexico and I was looking forward to devouring the local cuisine. As it turned out my ecologically pristine resort was the only structure for miles. The resort hosted a lot of Canadians and I wonder if that is why they tried to cook American/Canadian types of food everyday. The food was edible but definitely not anything to get excited about. During my week long visit they only prepared authentic Mexican food ONE night. When I boarded the airplane to come home I was sad because I didn't get the week long authentic Mexican feast I was hoping for.

Luckily in Idaho there are several fantastic Mexican restaurants and I fall in love all over again with every dish I eat. I rarely order the same dish twice because I love trying new flavors and interpretations of everyday ingredients. Street tacos is absolutely one of my favorite dishes and although I've had them with steak and chicken, carnitas are my favorite.

Definition of Carnitas from Epicurious.com

carnitas[kahr-NEE-tahz]
Mexican for "little meats," this dish is simply small bits or shreds of well browned pork. It's made from an inexpensive cut of pork that's simmered in a small amount of water until tender, then finished by cooking the pieces in pork fat until nicely browned all over. Carnitas are usually eaten with SALSA and are sometimes used as the filling in TACOS and BURRITOS.
© Copyright Barron's Educational Services, Inc. 1995 based on THE FOOD LOVER'S COMPANION, 2nd edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst.

Read More http://www.epicurious.com:80/tools/fooddictionary/entry#ixzz1szutRqGl

Before I set out to make carnitas I found a recipe on Allrecipes.com 

The initial recipe called for a 4 pound boneless pork shoulder roast and a cooking time of 10 hours. Using pork stew meat and a crock pot setting on high I was able to create very tender pork that fell apart in only 4 hours. A 2 pound package of stew meat fed my husband and I carnitas tacos on two separate occasions. We didn't make any rice or beans, just tacos. So I definitely believe this could be an inexpensive dish for a larger family if rice, beans, or even a salad were included as a side dish. For those who do not eat pork this recipe also works well for chicken. I'm not sure how authentic this recipe is but I think it is a pretty good match to the carnitas I love so much.

When it comes to buying pork I recommend buying from either a farmers market or a local butcher shop where you can ask questions about the raising of the pig. Sadly factory farms don't have the best reputation for the treatment of pigs, or other animals for that matter, so get to know where your meat comes from and what's been done to it.

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 lbs of pork stew meat
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cup chicken broth

Combine the dry ingredients and toss the pieces of pork in the mixture. Add the seasoned pork to a slow cooker with 2 bay leaves and pour 2 cups of chicken broth around the edges. The chicken broth should be deep enough to see from the top of the pot but not covering the pork. If the pork is going to cook during an 8 hour work day set it on low. To shorten the total cooking time set the crock pot on high and it will be ready 4 hours later. One of the great things about this recipe is that pork becomes more tender the longer it cooks. I'm not saying to cook it for 24 hours but a few extra hours on either setting definitely won't ruin your dish.

Drain some of the juice from the pork before adding it to either corn or flour tortillas. In my local supermarket I can purchase locally handmade tortillas which are phenomenally better if you can find them. Typically street tacos are topped with chopped white onion and fresh cilantro with a lime wedge on the side. (I thought I had cilantro in the refrigerator but it turned out that I didn't.) Trust me, squeeze the lime juice over the taco and I promise you won't regret it. Onion, cilantro, and lime round out the dish perfectly. If you like a little heat add your favorite hot sauce, pico de gallo, or salsa.

Here's the cilantro! I also made rice with cilantro and lime. After the rice is cooked add fresh chopped cilantro and fresh squeezed lime juice to the rice.