Friday, June 28, 2013

Tropical Traditions Grass-Fed Meat: A Rump Roast

Luckily, I have a few good local sources for grass-fed beef where I live and have not had to rely on internet sources for grass-fed meat.  A few months ago a very kind reader of the blog used one of my Tropical Traditions referral links to purchase something and I received a gift certificate because they were a new customer to Tropical Traditions.  

I have always wondered how ordering meat over the internet would work out.  I figured this would be a great opportunity to order some grass-fed beef from Tropical Traditions, so I could let all of you in on the experience and of course and it would give me something to cook for the blog.  Win-Win.  I put that gift certificate towards the purchase of a rump roast.  

Monday, June 24, 2013

Sauerbraten from Paleo Cupboard

After I received my Tropical Traditions Rump Roast, I asked on the blog's facebook and twitter page for suggestions as to what I should make with it.  A friend of mine, who isn't a paleo eater, suggested Sauerbraten.  To the internet I went, and found this recipe from Paleo Cupboard.  She uses a bottom round roast, but Sauerbraten is traditionally made with rump roast as well, so I figured it would work.  

The recipe's sauce calls for honey.  I commented on the original recipe about excluding the honey and the author thought that it would work.   


Friday, June 21, 2013

Quest for Condiments: Worcestershire Sauce from Gourmet Sleuth

Last month, when I started my quest for paleo Worcestershire Sauce, I was a bit concerned as I was having a hard time finding recipes that were paleo and/or could be made paleo easily.  I then stumbled upon this recipe on Gourmet Sleuth.  This website is great for researching ingredients and looking for substitutes.  To make the recipe, I had to make a trip to the Asian grocery to get tamarind paste.  It was really inexpensive at $1.89.

Tamarind is the paste of the pulp that surrounds the seeds of the tamarind pod.  Evidently, it's Whole30 compliant but shouldn't be used with wild abandon due to its high natural sugar content.  I have no intent to use this except for the occasional recipe calling for Worcestershire Sauce.

This recipe could not be easier.  I grabbed my ingredients.

Monday, June 17, 2013

Shish Tawook from Steak and Sass

I'm not certain how I cam across this Shish Tawook recipe, but I know it was because I saw the pretty picture next to the recipe.  This recipe is from Steak and Sass written/photographed by a husband and wife team in Egypt.  She actually has a section called "Sassings" which sadly, is currently empty, but I'm curious to see what "sassings" she might add.  Catchy title, check, catchy food porn, check- its time to head to the kitchen. 

I gathered the ingredients I needed  This recipe is really done in two sessions since you need to marinate the chicken.  

Friday, June 14, 2013

Lazy Salmon Burgers from Nourish Paleo Foods

If you work like I do, I've bet you've had a few nights where you've come home and your vegetable drawers are looking pretty empty and somehow there's no meat defrosted.  You're tired, but still want a tasty dinner.  This happened to me a few weeks ago.  I looked into the fridge and I had some canned salmon and I remembered I had finally found a alternative flour-free salmon patty recipe that I wanted to test out.  Aptly, this recipe from Nourish Paleo Foods is called Lazy Salmon Burger.  She makes a tahini sauce as well, but I didn't make it.  

I quickly gathered my ingredients.  


Monday, June 10, 2013

Elana's Pantry Baked Mustard Lime Chicken

Happy Monday everyone!  I'm so used to posting on Tuesdays, I had a brief panic moment when I realized, oh yeah- I'm posting on Mondays now.  It's like day light savings time for blogging.  

I'm always on the lookout for a great chicken dish and as I stocked up on whole chickens when Whole Foods put organic chickens on sale for $1.99 pound, cooking chicken fits into my mission to cook through the meat I have in my freezer.  I'm not certain how I came across this recipe for Baked Mustard Lime Chicken from Elena's Pantry, but it seemed like a simple dish to try.  The recipe calls for chicken breasts but I felt confident whole chicken pieces would work out just as well.  

Friday, June 7, 2013

Boss Sauce and Marinade: A Paleo Review Original

After preparing the steak rolls, I had a small piece of skirt steak left.  Before going to bed, I decided it would be perfect for breakfast the next day, but it needed to be marinated.  I put the meat in a bowl and just started grabbing for ingredients that seemed to make sense not knowing how it would end up.  Come morning, I skillet fried the meat and I was in heaven.  The marinade I threw together tasted absolutely fantastic.  I grabbed my Paleo Review notebook and tried to remember what I used and in what quantities.  And now after a few test batches and the thumbs up from few trusted tasters, I bring you The Paleo Review Boss Sauce and Marinade.


Boss Sauce and Marinade is has a deep smoky flavor with a great tang.  When you eat beef like a boss, you need some Boss Sauce.  But wait, this sauce isn't just for beef, I've tested it out on chicken and it was absolutely fantastic.  What's even more awesome is that the sauce and marinade have no added sugars and I believe, correct me if I'm wrong are Whole30 compliant!  Hurrah! 

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Lee County Charcoal Challenge with Paleo Powder

It has been an exciting week for the blog and me that will culminate in a big announcement next Wednesday!  While I don't want to let the cat completely out of the bag yet, the announcement will involve the addition of a third weekly post.  I thought I'd throw in a Wednesday post this week, since my new posting schedule will be new recipe/product reviews on Monday and Friday and something totally different yet very related on Wednesdays.  That's not vague, is it?  

A Saturday morning in May, I was relaxing with a cup of coffee when I saw Lauren and Dustin Gersch of Paleo Powder tweeting about and posting pictures to facebook of beautiful barbecue.  I knew from learning about Paleo Powder that they participated barbecue contests and thought it would be fun to actually taste some of their award winning barbecue.  Before I knew it, I was on my way to Giddings, TX to judge brisket in the Lee County Fair Charcoal Challenge.  

What are my judging credentials?  I'm a native Texan and was raised on barbecue.  My father would barbecue nearly every Saturday at my house growing up.  He had an old barrel pit that he refused to replace until it had pretty much rusted through.  Weddings and family reunions on my mom's side of the family from Brenham, Texas pretty much all included barbecue.  I'm picky about brisket.  Though, really, all you needed to judge was an empty stomach.  

I knew I was in the right place when I saw rows and rows of pick-up trucks to the right and then what looked like a small town of RV's and barbecue pits to the left.  

Yes, this is Texas.

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Product Review: Paderno Spiral Slicer

Over the past few months, I've seen this Paderno Spiral Vegetable Slicer show up on many of the paleo blogs, in contests, and in my Pinterest feed.  I love kitchen gadgetry.  My desire to bring home new kitchen gadgetry is only limited by my teeny tiny kitchen and ability to store things.  I've been intrigued by this spiral slicer and wondered if it actually worked and possibly offer some new textures for vegetables in my everyday food rotation. 
Have you wondered as I did?
This past week,  I couldn't stand wondering anymore and I ordered one.  Have you wondered if this little machine works?  I put it through its paces this past weekend on vegetables I commonly use and it suggests using it on:  Zucchini, Beets, Radishes, Cucumbers, and Carrots.