Imperfectly Paleo

 "恭喜發財", Kung Hei Fat Choi, Happy New Year! Welcome to the year of the pig. To celebrate yesterday, I made an auspicious bowl of goodness, comprising a lucky 8 components (one of the luckiest numbers in Chinese culture). The first day of the Chinese New Year celebrations is meant to be restful and relaxing, so there is minimal preparation/ cooking required.   Chinese New Year Goodness Bowl with Spirulina Dressing Everything has been chosen to bode well for the forthcoming year, with extra vegetables being included to represent health, growth and a year of plenty. Drizzle over the zingy green nutrient-dense spirulina dressing and it's good to go! Sending out good wishes x Chinese New Year Goodness Bowl with Spirulina Dressing Grain-free, Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Refined Sugar-free (Serves 1-2) Ingredients: (1) 1 medium beetroot, peeled and spiralised (long lengths symbolise longevity and red symbolises luck) (2) 1 clementine/tangerine, peeled, segmented an

The new year invariably brings with it a host of new convictions for the ensuing months ahead: whether to eat less, move more, give up bad habits or adopt health-enhancing fresh ones. One of our family's intentions is to aim for one meat-free meal a week. Warm Sweet Potato, Celery and Hemp Hearts Bowl My husband was the first to moot the idea (surprising in that he is the most wedded to the notion of a meal not being a meal in the absence of a meat component). I have long considered moving to a more plant-based mindset for reasons of giving the digestive system a break, environmental uneasiness and also potentially cost effectiveness (in hindsight the latter seems misguided). My daughter was deeply sceptical at the idea of roasted aubergine instead of roast chicken (but when I rolled out stuffed peppers with a side of quinoa she declared it delicious!). My son has often proclaimed his desire to be a vegetarian, down to his general dislike of the texture of meat, yet suddenly

Daylight hours are becoming increasingly scarce a commodity with the dark nights of winter looming... It got me thinking about the adage, " The days are long but the years are short" by Gretchen Rubin The Happiness Project . Japanese Style Curry with Pork and Root Veg

When I came up with this recipe idea in my head it looked a lot less aesthetically displeasing than it turned out in real life! I was envisaging a pretty pale yellow fritter encasing delicate shreds of defined orange and purple. Ha! What my imagination had overlooked was beetroot's ability to contaminate everything within its vicinity: rendering it one big pink patty. Oh well - at least the taste is unaffected.  Beetroot & Carrot Fritters with Garlic Mushroom Salad Autumn is coming. Herald its arrival with the earthy flavours of root vegetables and a warm salad. Beetroot & Carrot Fritters with Garlic Mushroom Salad Dairy-free, Grain-free, Gluten-free, Refined Sugar-free, Nut-free Serves 2 (makes 8 fritters) Ingredients: Fritters: 1 large beetroot (200g), peeled and coarsely grated 2 medium carrots (200g), peeled, trimmed and coarsely grated 3 medium eggs 4 tbsp nutritional yeast 2 tbsp coconut flour zest of 1/2 lemon 1/4 tsp sea salt 1/4 tsp fresh g

Not exactly a snappy title but this is actually the much-edited, pared down version - the original title exceeded the title word limit! It's hard to convey the precise nature of some recipes in just a handful of words. This one is lemony and punchy with smoked paprika as well as Middle Eastern za'atar spice. It also works well on the barbecue, weather permitting, instead of baked in the oven. Paprika Za'atar Spiced Chicken with Summer Salad and Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing Serve alongside salad of choice but this quick Summer Salad I rustled up with a quick forage in the fridge, works very well. It combines sweet summer nectarines (could be substituted with peaches) set against creamy avocado, peppery watercress and crunchy fine beans (don't overcook them) and a light but zingy lemon, honey and poppy seed dressing. PS The lemon is a special one - brought back as a memento from my sister's wedding where it served as a whimsical place setting. Such happy memori

I made a new friend. She likes to be stroked and sits on my doorstep calling for me to come out to play. Some days she sits by my kitchen window watching intently while I tackle various kitchen chores. Some days she even tries to squeeze past my legs at the front door when I'm on my way out and I have to give her a stern talking to about respecting boundaries! My friend is a cat. Then two weeks after her first visit and daily presence, she abruptly stopped visiting. I miss her. These sardine fish cakes are an ode to my fleeting feline friendship. Sweet Potato and Sardine Fish Cakes with Yogurt Dip Serve as a light lunch alongside a big salad, as a starter or just as a filling snack between meals. Sweet Potato and Sardine Fish Cakes with Yogurt Dip Grain-free, Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Refined Sugar-free, Nut-free Makes 4 cakes (serves 2 as a starter or light lunch) Ingredients : Fishcakes: 175g (approx 1 cup) mashed sweet potato flesh (microwave a medium sweet pot

Many a day I dream of how easy life with children would be if I were Mary Poppins - the effortless tidying up for one and who wouldn't want a bottomless pit of a handbag. Then there's her perfect juxtaposition of stern yet kind as opposed to my total lack of dignity in the manic scarper for a timely school run. Well, if all else fails, I can at least be commended for attempting to feed my children healthy food! Honey Mustard Salmon and Supercalifragilistic Slaw With the onset of summer comes a waning desire to spend any length of time toiling over a hot stove. Yesterday I made a slow cooker beef casserole for dinner but in the context of the sun shining and the shedding of coats and scarves, it felt more than slightly incongruous, gastronomically speaking. Step forth this lazy Salmon 'n' Slaw. The kids absolutely love salmon, especially covered in the sticky honey mustard glaze (the idea unashamedly pinched from my sister who makes a delicious ham glazed with

Arguably as simple as making a savoury smoothie really. This raw soup (served chilled) is so quick to make. Perfect for lunch or scale up the recipe and serve small bowls of it as a light and refreshing starter. Raw Miso Carrot Soup Raw Miso Carrot Soup Grain-free, Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Refined Sugar-free, Nut-free Serves 1 as a main or 2 as a starter Ingredients : 2 medium (approx 220g) carrots, peeled, trimmed and roughly chopped 1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped 2 tbsp (30ml) miso paste 2 tbsp (30ml) tahini 3 tbsp (45ml) fresh orange juice 100-150ml filtered water sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste if needed Optional garnish: spiralised carrots, sesame oil, coriander leaves, pinch of chilli flakes, additive-free furikake (or sub sesame seeds and some crushed nori seaweed) Instructions : 1. Blend all ingredients together in a high powered blender, starting with 100ml of water and adding extra to thin it down if consis

An absolute doddle to make. The little pieces of apple add a hint of sweetness while the sauteed leeks give it a boost of flavour. Serve on top of a heap of shredded veg, salad or whatever sides you like.   Apple and Leek Meatballs Apple and Leek Meatballs Gluten-free, Grain-free, Dairy-free, Refined Sugar-free Makes 12, Serves 4 Ingredients: 500g minced pork (could use chicken or turkey) 1 small eating apple (approx 105g), peeled, cored and finely diced 1/2 medium leek, washed, dried, halved lengthways and finely sliced into half moons 1/2 tsp garlic powder 1/2 tsp sea salt 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 1/2 tbsp olive oil (or other cooking oil of choice) Instructions: 1. Heat olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. 2. Gently sautee leeks with a pinch of sea salt until soft and fragrant - do not brown them. Remove from heat and transfer to a large mixing bowl. 3. Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius (approx 390 farenheit) and line a

I've been gazing admiringly at pictures of hasselback potatoes - a very fancy looking roast potato meets baked/ jacket potato hailing from Sweden. Then I discovered a slightly sad aubergine lurking in the refrigerator drawer and wondered whether I could possibly give him a hasselback makeover! Sweet Chilli Hasselback Aubergine  Aubergine alone can be slightly squashy and bland so I've added a punchy sweet chilli glaze ( NomNomPaleo has a great additive-free sriracha recipe that takes a mere 20 minutes to make). Serve as a vegetarian main or as a fancy schmanzy side dish. Can also be served cold. Sweet Chilli Hasselback Aubergine Grain-free, Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Nut-free Serves 2 as a side Ingredients : 1 medium aubergine, washed, dried and halved lengthways 2 tbsp raw honey (or maple syrup if vegan) 1 tbsp sesame oil 1 tbsp tamari (or coconut aminos) 1 tsp GF fish sauce 1-2 tbsp sriracha, to taste (great recipe here ) 1 tbsp sesame seeds To ga

A smorgasbord of vibrant colours - glorious greens, ruby reds and glowing orange, flecked with pops of creamy hazelnut orbs. Roast Beetroot, Red Chicory, Kale and Hazelnut Salad Roast Beetroot, Red Chicory, Kale and Hazelnut Salad Gluten-free, Grain-free, Dairy-free, Refined Sugar-free Serves 2 (scale accordingly) Ingredients : 2 medium beetroots, washed, no need to peel 1 head red chicory, leaves separated 1 clementine, peeled and segmented (and membrane removed if you have the patience - for purely aesthetic reasons!) handful (approx 1/3 cup) toasted hazelnuts small handful flat leaf parsley, roughly torn 100g kale, stalks removed, washed and dried, torn into pieces 1 tbsp EVOO big pinch sea salt 1 tbsp lemon juice Maple Mustard Dressing (makes approx 1/4 cup): 2 tbsp (30ml) EVOO 1 tbsp (15g) dijon mustard 1 tbsp (15ml) lemon juice 1/2-1 tbsp (10-20g) maple syrup, to taste pinch sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste Instructions : 1. Pre

New Year New Post! Activity has been somewhat on the dormant side here on this blog for a while. Just life. What more can I say? Italian Sheet Pan Roast Rainbow Vegetables with Salmon What better way to welcome in the January blues with a rainbow platter of goodness. The kids love simple baked salmon; the chestnuts and sweet potato add natural sweetness, balanced with a tang of lemon juice at the end to complement the Italian seasoning. Also works as an easy and colourful vegetable side dish without the salmon. Italian Sheet Pan Roast Rainbow Vegetables with Salmon Grain-free, Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Refined Sugar-free Serves 2 Ingredients : 2 salmon fillets (approx 120g each), skin on 225g brussel sprouts, trimmed and halved/ quartered depending on size (leave whole if tiny) 1 medium carrot, peeled and sliced into 1/2" discs 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2" cubes 1/2 cup (100g) cooked and peeled chestnuts (I use the vacuum packed ones)

When I am 'cooking' for just myself I revel in the freedom of not worrying about juggling all the likes and dislikes of every member of the family. This is one of my favourites - and every single ingredient is hated (not just disliked) by at least one if not all of my lovely family! And the best thing about making this for myself is that it's a doddle to prepare and doesn't even require cooking. Seaweed Cucumber and Radish Salad Seaweed is a great source of iodine, good for gut health and full of nutrients eg calcium, folate, magnesium. It also aids detoxification and has been claimed in studies to help regulate hormones. Whatever the benefits I love the natural saltiness and it always tastes great with a sesame oil and ginger based dressing. Seaweed Cucumber and Radish Salad Grain-free, Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Refined Sugar-free Serves 1 as a main, 2 as a side Ingredients: 10g mixed dried seaweed, hydrated and drained 2-3 inch cucumber, finely sli

This recipe recycles leftover meatloaf, into a low maintenance, minimal effort second supper. One Pan Meatloaf Stuffed Roast Squash with Asparagus Meatloaf is a very lazy dinner menu option - literally mix 500g of minced pork (or chicken or turkey or a mix) with a few tablespoons of spices of choice (my favourites include 1tbsp cumin and 1tbsp ground coriander, but Chinese 5 spice, oregano, basil, etc all work well), a tsp of garlic powder and onion powder, an egg to bind and a tbsp of coconut flour to add firmness and plenty of salt and pepper.  Press firmly and neatly into a loaf tin and bake at 175 degrees celsius for about 45mins-1hr or until cooked through.  Delicious add-ins to the meatloaf mix are: - cooked spinach (make sure to squeeze out all the liquid before adding to the meatloaf mix) - pan fried chopped mushrooms (again, cook until liquid evaporated) - grated squash or carrots (squeeze out liquid) - coconut aminos and thai fish sauc

Slow roasting/ cooking any joint of meat is so time and energy consuming that it seems churlish not to cook plenty in one go to lower the cost per portion! This is what happened when I roasted a rather enormous joint of beef and the children declared with such exasperation, "Not beef again " that I knew it'd take a bit more pizazz to make this theoretically economical way of cooking actually work in practise! Thai Beef Salad This recipe works just as well for other leftover meats - I have done it with leftover turkey... Thai 'Turkey' Salad with Cold Roast Kabocha Squash and baked salmon... Thai 'Salmon' Salad  and it tastes great regardless. Thai Beef Salad Grain-free, Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Refined Sugar-free Serves 2 Ingredients: Salad: approx 2 handfuls (1.5 - 2 cups) shredded or chopped cold roast beef (or substitute other cooked meat or a handful of roasted cashews for a meat-free alternative) 1/4 head of red cabbage (

I love a good salad for lunch - mostly because I am lazy and salads are quick to make and require minimal washing up! This one is hugely versatile, super delicious and most importantly, super quick to whip up. Avocado Tuna with Ginger Lime Salad

Broccolini is commonly known as Tenderstem Broccoli; a hybrid between regular broccoli and its more exotic cousin, kai-lan (aka Chinese broccoli). It is milder and sweeter than run-of-the-mill broccoli and is a good source of vitamin C. Broccolini, Squash and Edamame Miso Salad As the stalks are so much thinner and the florets smaller and more delicate it is also quicker to cook - a brief steam or even blanch is adequate. Roasting the squash brings out the natural sweetness of this antioxidant-rich, anti-inflammatory root vegetable. The roasting oil also aids the absorption of fat-soluble vitamin A. It is no secret that the consumption of edamame beans and miso is not paleo - the argument against soy and its potentially distruptive effects on hormone balance abound on the internet, so I will spare the repetition. From personal experience I tolerate soy and choose to include it in moderation but understandably this will vary between individuals. Edamame beans are a good so

Chicory is a great salad ingredient full of character - firm in texture, retains its crunch well, slightly bitter. Apparently this common type is specifically 'Witlook' Chicory, or Belgian Endive. I've found it to be a very useful receptacle for dips of all sorts too! Chicory (aka Endive) Pomegranate Avocado Salad Chicory (aka Endive) Pomegranate Avocado Salad Grain-free, Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Refined Sugar-free Serves 2 Ingredients: 1 head of chicory, trimmed and leaves separated 100g baby spinach and rocket 1/2 medium, ripe avocado, peeled, pitted, chopped or sliced 4-5 radishes, trimmed and finely sliced 50g (1/4 cup) unsalted walnuts, toasted or untoasted as preferred approx 50g (1/4 large pomegranate) pomegranate arils Dressing: 4 tbsp EVOO 2 tbsp red wine vinegar 1 tsp dijon mustard 2 tsp pomegranate molasses 1/4 tsp zaatar sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste Instructions: 1. Add all dressing ingredients to a clean glass

Cherries are one of my favourite fruit. Ironically and somewhat sadly, the cherry tree in our garden has just been diagnosed terminal by a tree surgeon. But to be honest, despite the prettiness of the pink blossom, in all the years it didn't once bear any fruit. These cherries are clearly not from our tree! Cherry Cucumber and Celery Salad Serve this alongside roast duck, in a big colourful platter for a barbecue accompaniment, or just with a sprinkle of toasted nuts for a simple lunch. Cherry Cucumber and Celery Salad Grain-free, Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Refined Sugar-free, Nut-free Serves 1 as a main, 2 as a side Ingredients : 1/3 medium (100g) cucumber 1 stick celery, chopped 100g cherries, pitted and halved small bunch (16g) coriander, roughly chopped handful of rocket/ watercress leaves 1/2 tbps rice wine vinegar 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) big pinch sea salt and fresh ground black pepper Instructions : 1. Slice cucumber in half lengthways