Imperfectly Paleo

Cashew nuts are contentious in our household - they elicit strong and conflicting feelings. Basically, my daughter is allergic to them and the rest of us LOVE them. Cashew Chicken 腰果雞 was one of my mum's standard dishes when we were children and I love it as much now as I did then. What better time to post this recipe than when I am about to get a taste of the real deal when I see my mum this week! Cashew Chicken Stir-fry 腰果雞 served on Courgetti Like most stir-fries this is a very quick meal to throw together once all the chicken and veg have been prepped. Feel free to use coconut aminos instead of tamari if not soy-tolerant but do adjust for taste as tamari is saltier. Anyhow, allergies schmallergies - it doesn't pose a problem: I just dole out a portion just prior to adding the nuts at the end. Problem solved. Cashew Chicken Stir-fry 腰果雞 Grain-free, Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Refined Sugar-free Serves 3-4 Ingredients : 1 tbsp coconut oil 400g skinless, b

Strawberry season is well and truly in full flow. Supplies are having their annual uptick, heralding the imminence of Wimbledon amongst other British seasonal landmarks. Prices plummet while the quality rockets - the basic price mechanism from school level Economics kicks in in earnest. Plus, the best thing is strawberries grow within our local area so even carbon footprint guilt is entirely eradicated. What's not to love? Fennel Strawberry and Mint Summer Salad (with optional Smoked Mackerel) The sweetness pairs naturally with fresh mint, again abundant in the garden at this time of year. And my love for the more complex aniseed flavour and crunch of fennel carries on. I've used red butterhead lettuce mostly because I had it in the fridge but any delicate flavoured lettuce with a soft texture eg lambs lettuce, will also work. Pair this with flakes of salty smoked mackerel for a rounded lunch in the sun or serve as a side salad for a summer barbecue. Fennel Straw

The day before was declared the hottest day of the year. Then yesterday was declared the new hottest day of the year. And now today is anticipated to supercede the temperature of yesterday. Phew! Nothing for it but a chilled soup that requires no cooking. Chilled Spinach and Avocado Summer Soup Chilled Spinach and Avocado Summer Soup Grain-free, Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Refined Sugar-free, Nut-free Serves 1 (or 2 as a starter) Ingredients : Baby spinach, 1 large handful (50g), washed and dried Basil leaves, small bunch Mint leaves, approx 15 leaves Celery, 2 small sticks Courgette, 3" piece (60g) 1/2 small ripe avocado (40g), peeled and pitted 1" piece lemongrass, bruised 1/2" piece ginger, peeled 1/4 lime, peeled big pinch chilli flakes 2 tbsp Nutritional yeast sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste 1/4 - 3/4 cup water or cold stock/ broth, depending on desired consistency Optional garnish: chilli flakes, pomegranate arils, mint/ ba

Every day when my daughter comes home from school she regales me with details of her school lunch that day down to the exact flavour of yogurt. One of her favourites is 'Mexican Mince' (the fact it is accompanied by a pile of nachos in high probability contributes to this enthusiasm!). Mexican Mince

There's something slightly treat-like about having something warm in my salad. Probably to do with the fact that it involves more than just chopping up raw vegetables, piling them in a bowl with a drizzle of random dressing type condiments, before diving in with just a fork. So you could argue this is a salad of self-love - spending that little bit of extra time to make the day a smidge more special. Warm Mushroom, Fennel and Olive Salad Marinating the fennel mellows out the strong liquorice flavour and the addition of juniper berries adds a fresh citrusy scent. The crunchy fennel contrasts against the earthy pan-fried mushrooms; the olives add another good pop of umami savouriness and a smattering of pumpkin seeds provide texture as well as some satiating good fat. The honey mustard dressing is best drizzled on at the table and brings everything together with a delicate orangey sweetness. Warm Mushroom, Fennel and Olive Salad Grain-free, Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Refin

Some days I am overcome with the tedium associated with deciding, yet again, what to make for dinner. Last week, I was faced with some uninspiring chicken sitting in the fridge, along with some asparagus (April is prime asparagus season) and, for some unfathomable reason, a surplus of lemons in the fruit drawer. One overriding criteria was minimal effort - associated with prep time, cooking and pots/pans for washing up. So clearly this dish was born out of nothing but sheer laziness! Instant Pot Lemon Chicken and Asparagus

Some days I wonder if anyone really cares for any of these rather basic salad recipes but this is what I eat so this is what I document! Sorry for the simplicity... Prawn Chopped Salad with a Creamy Nut Dressing

A one-pan quickie, ideal for midweek family suppers. Serve on top of a heap of steaming cauli-rice (or whatever riced vegetable is to hand - in my case here it is riced celeriac with ginger and coriander) or some plain white riced if preferred. Add some simple greens alongside and dinner is served. Sticky Orange Chinese Chicken

Celeriac is a foodstuff that leaves me polarised from the rest of my family in my unending love for it - roasted, mashed, grated, pureed into soup and even blended into smoothies (yep, I am that crazy for it). Everyone else hates it - in even its most benign guise. Hey ho. That's why I eat it for lunch when the kids are at school and my better half is at work ;oP Smoked Salmon, Celeriac and Rocket Salad

Unlike regular potatoes, which can be toxic to humans in their uncooked form, owing to a dangerous alkoloid called solanine, sweet potato can actually be consumed raw. However, it is worth highlighting that large quantities are not recommended as they do contain an enzyme inhibitor (trypsin) that can make digestion of proteins difficult, so don't go chowing down on multiple portions in one sitting! Mango and Sweet Potato Satay Noodle Salad

Warm and fragrant but so simple to throw together. I used a mix of oyster, maitake and shiitake mushrooms but the soup works just as well with a handful of enoki or plain old chestnut or button if less exotic options are available. Include the chilli seeds if you like it hot or alternatively omit chillies altogether and add a few thinly sliced red peppers for colour without heat. Thai Coconut Soup with Mushrooms, Pak Choi and Sweet Potato

Happy Chinese New Year of the Rooster for tomorrow! Sending out good wishes to all for the lunar year ahead! Miso Aubergine Salad   Yes, I am fully aware that miso is not considered 'paleo' but I'm Chinese and soy has featured fairly prevalently throughout my dietary lifetime - whether I consumed it a lot (while in Asia) or not at all (in my early Paleo days) has made little discernible difference to the way I feel. Some may argue the damage is stealthy and I will rue my indifference but I'll take my chances.

Time to put away the industrial-sized tins of festive goodies (mince pies/ chocolates/ alcohol/ cheese - name your preferred poison!) and crack on with 2017 folks! This is a simple yet healthful and still super tasty mid-week meal to ease back into normality. The children love this - though they prefer it with actual rice rather than riced cauliflower so feel free to sub rice if you fancy. I ate way more rice than usual over the holidays as my parents make the best rice, plus they have a snazzy new rice cooker! For vegans adding diced firm tofu instead of chicken works just as well. Hawaiian Fried Cauli-Rice with Pineapple and Chicken

I presume there are enough Christmas turkey recipes out there in cyberspace this week so here is something different. There is only one rule: do not overcook the tuna. Unless, of course, you like it that way! Happy Christmas to all x P.S. Apologies about the photo quality: Real life dinner = Real life lighting! Sesame Crust Tuna Steak with Vegetable Ribbon Salad P.P.S. This is the final recipe from a special three course anniversary dinner I prepared for a special someone. See Scallops and Chorizo for the starter and Anniversary Chocolate Pots for the dessert.

If you want to stumble across some of this delightful purple 'Buttonhole' kale, you could hunt it down in your local Waitrose store. It has a lovely mild, almost sweet flavour and looks really pretty to boot! Pair it with the zingy and creamy cashew sauce and you have a simple lunch or a beautiful side dish. Roast Purple Kale with Lime Cashew Sauce

You would not believe how excited I was when I spotted a delicata squash in my local Waitrose! Almost as excited as I used to get when I found a Louboutin in my size at a sample sale - trust me; that is VERY excited! Common as they are in the US they are still fairly hard to come by here in the UK where the butternut has a monopoly on the supermarket squash scene. The skin is edible - and looks oh so pretty sliced in the horizontal don't you think? Just make sure to wash it well and remove seeds. Cumin Roast Delicata Squash with Celeriac Rice and Matcha Tahini Dressing

Autumn is here. Pears are abundant. Despite the colder weather I am clinging persistently to my lunchtime salads before they hibernate to make way for winter warmers. This autumnal bowl combines the sweetness of pears with earthy beetroot and crunchy pecans. The caperberries provide a little sharp and salty zing which is balanced out by the mellow creamy tahini dressing. And plenty of immune boosting nutrients and vitamin C in watercress to ward off those pesky colds. Pear Watercress and Beetroot Salad

When you can't decide what colour smoothie to have you can have both. Together. The basil, lime and lemongrass flavours are a refreshing wakeup call. They balance well with the subtly sweet strawberries and hydrating cucumber in the pink chia mix. Green & Pinks: Basil Lime Smoothie and Strawberry Chia Breakfast Bowl

Scallops were served as the starter at our wedding many moons ago so it only seemed fitting that they make another appearance at an anniversary dinner. This well-established combination of scallops with chorizo is one we've been making and eating for years, inspired originally by a recipe from Nigella Lawson's 'Nigella Express' . Scallops and Chorizo

This can be used both as a lovely vegetarian main or as a vegetable side. Feel free to substitute the pumpkin seeds for another seed and toast them if you have both time and a penchant for extra crunch. I love to eat mine alongside a big salad as a main or with a quick sautee of vegetables when the idea of washing a pan isn't too hard work! Lazy? Very! Tahini Aubergine with Parsley and Pumpkin Seeds