Organic Keto Meatloaf with mashed cauliflower and green beans

A comfort food meal on a chilly day the whole family will like. Well at least my picky boys (husband and toddler) like! A thank you to Mark Sisson at Marks Daily Apple for the base for this meal. We’re not all Keto, but we like variations on simple healthy food. The meatloaf uses my own version of tomato topping with stevia rather than ketchup or primal kitchen commercial sauces.

Meatloaf:
 2.5 lbs organic beef (85/15)
 3 eggs, large
 3 tablespoons organic coconut flour
 1.5 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce low sodium
 Pink salt, dash
 Black pepper, dash
 2 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder
 1 tablespoon dried parsley, 1 tsp dried oregano

Topping:
 6 oz organic tomato paste
 ~1/2 c water
 1 tsp organic apple cider vinegar
Dried parsley dash
 4 packets organic stevia powder (I used NOW brand organic stevia)

Mix beef, Worcestershire sauce, eggs, coconut flour and spices. Mash until well blended. Press into oiled loaf pans or Pyrex. Mix tomato sauce topping until it is the consistency of ketchup. You can substitute organic ketchup or add blackstrap molasses or dates to your homade sauce. I only used stevia since I had extra packets on hand. Pour tomato sauce over meatloaf. Bake at 350 for 1.5-2 hours or until finished (our oven doesn’t work well so your cooking time may be much less than ours. Check after an hour). I cut thin slices so about 16 slices total.

Mashed cauliflower (my lazy way):
 10oz frozen organic riced cauliflower
 Pink salt and pepper to taste
 1 tablespoon organic butter
 Pinch dried parsley (or dried dill)
 ~ 2 tablespoons water to steam cauliflower (reserve liquid)
Makes 2 1/2 c servings

Steam cauliflower. Once very tender add butter (or buttery coconut oil if non dairy), salt, and pepper. Mash. I used the cooking water rather than cream or milk.

Greens beans are just steamed with olive oil.

I hope you enjoy. There are a lot of similar recipes out there. I don’t generally keep things like almond flour or specialty sauces on hand. Personally I’d just eat plain cooked beef and steamed cauliflower. The whole mashing and baking in shapes with sauces seems like too much effort to me. Food is fuel. But when feeding a toddler ....

Curry Spinach Grass Fed Lamb [Low Carb]

I am sure there are already a million Indian lamb curry recipes out there, but I just wanted to share ours since this was fantastic. We used some ground lamb from our local grass fed farmers at John Pope's Farm here in the Carrboro area. Tim and Bob are great guys who not only treat their flock well and ensure humane Halal/Kosher slaughter for us, but they are active in local politics. A simple trip to the farmer's market here down the road becomes an adventure in current issues and the problems with farm subsidies and big government intervention, which hurts the small grass fed farmers here. Well, I'll get to the politics of that later, but for now I defer you to the video posted below. On to the oh-so-delicious and healthy hormone and antibiotic free grass fed lambies! :)

1 lb. grass fed lamb
5 cloves fresh garlic
1/2" piece fresh ginger root
2 c. frozen chopped spinach
2-3 T. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 c. organic lite coconut milk

Seasonings:
sea salt
pepper
1 T. hot curry powder or turmeric
2 T. curry powder
pinch caradmon (optional)
dash crushed red pepper flakes

In a food processor, mince the garlic and ginger together. If you like a little heat, a seeded red chili or a jalapeño would be a nice addition to the garlic and ginger for mincing.

In a large frying pan or electric skillet, saute the ground lamb with the extra virgin olive oil, and garlic-ginger mix. I cooked the lamb on medium low heat (~4 on my stove, or about 250-275 degrees in an electric skillet) for about 5-7 minutes until the meat is about half done. As the meat slowly cooks, add the spices and adjust the amounts to taste. You may want to add a little more extra virgin olive oil, I did not here.

Add the frozen spinach and coconut milk, mix well, and cover. Let cook on low heat for another 5 minutes or until the meat is no longer pink. Remember that grass fed meat cooks quickly, so always err on the side of less done. Remove the pan with the lamb from the hot eye immediately since the lean lamb will overcook.

Serve hot with a sprinkle of fresh ground pepper and sea salt. I served this with some spicy steamed turnip and collard greens. If you a more in a mood for Mediterranean style lamb, try my Greek Lamb with Roasted Red Pepper and Kale. Personally, I have been in a curry mood since it helps to heal irritated tummy and bowels, as I discussed recently in my Curry Artichoke Bison burger recipe.

If you've never had grass fed meat, the taste of this grass fed lamb is simply phenomenal. It tastes much better than conventional meat. It's also far more humane, as conventional meat comes from overcrowded and badly treated animals. The poorly treated animals actually have a worse nutritional profile and are higher in fat, especially saturated fat, and cholesterol than their free range grass fed cousins. The grain feed (corn and soy generally) given to conventional lamb, cows, chickens, etc raises their saturated fat and lowers the good Omega 3 fats in the meat. Besides all of the technical details, you literally are what you eat! - how that animal lived and ended its life is vital to your health. This is an oversight of pure Kosher laws which do not necessarily require the animal to be well treated during its life. The focus there is on the "humane" killing so the animal doesn't suffer. Historically, there was no reason for Kosher rules to specify how an animal lived; all livestock was "grass fed" and free range. There were no government subsidies for big corporate farms which shove animals through their production lines trying to increase profits. Heck, there weren't even big farms or haciendas, and the feed was not the genetically engineered mass produced soy or corn junk that it is now. Now the era of big everything and a faster tempo of life demand the utmost in efficiency (hence the big farms). This being life as it is now, it is critical to secure a meat source which is well treated during its life as well as well as painless put down. Karina touched on this in her turkey-pardon Thanksgiving post.

Many others, like By-the-Bay and Book of Yum, offer vegan and vegetarian options for the holidays. If vegan is your thing, great! If not, and you do chose to eat meat, I hope you will stop and consider the life that the animal had. You are taking in that animals energy, both mundanely, as given in the meat's fat and protein profile, but also spiritually. We try our best to "meet our meat" by really getting to know the farmers we buy from and even visiting the farms. Hogan's grass fed beef, for instance, is right across the road; they let us wander around on their pastures and take pictures with their cows- a nice luxury. If you aren't as lucky as us to have local farmers markets, don't fret- Whole Foods is very good about carrying or importing well treated "local" small farm meat at request. Online, many outlets like Slankers offer grass fed meat, though you have to pay steep shipping or buy in bulk.

For an insightful short video on the ugly political issues lurking behind our meat and produce supply, watch this:

The Problems with Farm Subsides for the Small Farmer, by Ron Paul

The whole issue of federal subsidization of American farms as a way of "making American farmers more competitive with worldwide markets" is the wrong approach. This is a classic case of "good intention, bad follow through" as my buddy Mike Keasler would say.

These federal subsides often do not help the real small farmers like all of our local lamb and beef farms out here in North Carolina. National Public Radio (NPR) just recently aired a special on this topic where an Iowa corn and soybean farmer emphasized his need for and dependency on federal money. I should point out that in the recent $286 Billion Dollar Farm Bill which just passed the Senate, federal money is taken from our taxes in order to subsidize crops (like corn) for ethanol, enlarge the food stamp program, and to encourage the further growth of (genetically engineered) wheat, peanuts, barely, oats, soy, and some fruit and other popular grains. Our taxpayer dollars are going to the growing and propagation of gluten and unhealthy soy! This is a bit ironic, being unable to consume any of what my tax money goes towards promoting.

See page 15 of the Farm Bill PDF for the summary of crops and prices with this new farm bill "safety net." I love the pro-environmental aspect of the bill which encourages alternative fuels through corn growth, however, this should be an action taken on by the industry at the people's demand for more eco-conscious energy resources. Our bloated, inefficient federal government has no place delegating tax money for this purpose. A simple economics lesson in supply and demand in the "free" market tells every ninth-grader that once the demand is present, the supply will react appropriately. These forces exist in a delicate balance. Federal subsidization disrupts this balance. The "demand" in the free market are the citizens exercising their purchasing power and demanding eco-friendly options. We all know the phrases "Put your money where you mouth is." So that's exactly what I'm doing... well, that and enjoying our grass fed local lamb :)

Farm Bill Headlines:
(MSNBC) Secretary Of Agriculture Says Farm Bill Flawed
(MSNBC) Senate rejects crop subsidy ban for fat cats

Artichoke Curry Bison Burgers [Paleo] [Low Carb]

1 lb ground bison (local if possible)
1 T. extra virgin olive oil (since grass fed meat is very lean)
1 free range egg (optional- some ground flax or psyllium powder keeps it together nicely)
1 small jalapeño with seeds
3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1/4" piece fresh ginger root, minced
2-3 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 can quartered artichoke hearts, drained
2-3 sliced red onion, garnish

Seasonings:
sea salt and pepper
2 T. crushed red pepper
dash hot curry powder (to taste)

Ok, I'm going to cheat here and use old instructions on how we make our burger patties. No methodology has changed, so here's the scoop:

To make burgers:
First mince or finely chop the garlic and ginger in a food processor. In a large bowl, mix fresh or defrosted meat, the minced garlic and ginger, seasonings, olive oil, and egg (if the egg is included).

If you're not using egg, you can omit it entirely or add the psyllium powder or freshly ground flax now. If you use flax, be sure to buy whole flaxseed (it is cheapest in bulk or Whole Foods brand in packages with the cereal and oatmeal). Grind the flax right before use with a small coffee grinder or blender since pre-ground flax or stored ground flax has rancid fat. The delicate Omega 3 fats in flax are easily destroyed with light, heat, and time so it is best and easiest to grind it fresh each time and ensure good quality fat. More on flax here and in my upcoming flax informational post "The Flax of Life" (Jon loves that title), but for now back to the bison:

Pat meat mixture into 4-6 patties and grill 3-5 minutes. Remember that grass fed buffalo (bison) meat is very lean and requires significantly less cooking time than normal meat; keep a close eye on it. These cook great on the grill or in a pan with a lid for quicker cooking. If you like your burgers medium or rare as I do, then pay special attention to cooking time and remove burgers when they are still raw inside - they will continue to cook afterwards.

Serve with sides of your choice. Since I prefer my meat on the less dead side (there are more enzymes which have not been destroyed by cooking and it tastes better to me!), I like these burgers best fresh. They do fine as reheated leftovers, but nothing really compares to a fresh juicy burger! If you like a tangy flavor, drizzle some gluten free and corn syrup free bbq sauce over the burgers. I use the Kraft light bbq sauce since it is gluten and dairy free.

Jon actually made these burgers with my instructions and it was a nice break for me. The curry powder adds a great flavor and it's not "spicy" hot like some people might assume. As many of you have heard and as our local blogging nutritionist Melissa at Gluten Free for Good has said before, curry powder has a wide array of health benefits. The active ingredient in curry, curcumin, has been shown to protect the brain for Alzheimer's, help heal digestion and inflammation (that's a huge Celiac concern), and prevent tumors. It has even been rumored to help STDs and skin cancer. I can't even do it justice here with my limited time, so I'll rant more on it in the future (you're spared for now!) The World's Healthiest Foods site has a good little summary here.

Once you're finished reading up on the healthy side of curry, throw a hearty dash or two into your burgers, whether vegetarian/vegan bean or tuna burgers, or carnivorous high B12 grass fed beef or bison patties or a low fat turkey and spinach burger. Grill on. Yum!

Rotisserie Rosemary Lamb [Paleo] [Low Carb]

semi boneless leg of lab (ours was about 2.6 lbs- try to get well treated, grass fed and local roasts when possible)

Seasonings:
dried rosemary
cayenne pepper
hot curry powder
crushed red pepper


You'll need special equipment for this one, of course! I used our baby George Foreman rotisserie which fits a medium to large sized chicken (~6 lbs max). The instructions here are easy: Wash off the raw lamb and mount it on the rotisserie bar. Secure the meat with the rotisserie skewers and mount the assembly into the cooker, as shown below.

I mixed all of the seasonings in a plastic bowl and dry rubbed the mixture onto the meat. The fat in the lamb kept the meat moist as the roast rotated. Cook the roast depending on its weight. Our 2.6 lb leg with bone cooked for about an hour. If you aren't sure about exact timing, then err on the side of less done. Charred lamb is never good :)

I served this with my Grapefruit and Cranberry Glazed Green Beans and Molasses-Maple Pecan Carrots.

Rosemary Olive Buffalo Burgers [Low Carb] [Paleo]

Burgers:
1 lb ground bison (local if possible)
1 T. extra virgin olive oil (since grass fed meat is very lean)
1/4 c. pimento-stuffed olives
2 large jalapeños with seeds, sliced
3 sundried tomatoes, chopped
1 free range egg (optional- it holds together fine without egg or gf breadcrumbs)

Seasonings:
sea salt and pepper
2 T. crushed red pepper
1 T. garlic powder
a few cloves of fresh garlic, minced
dried rosemary
dash tarragon

Sides (Optional):
fresh sliced tomato
fresh collard leaves for "bun"
cayenne-spiced sauteed chopped celery

To make burgers:
Slice the peppers and chop the sundried tomatoes. I used kitchen shears to chop my tomatoes. Mix fresh or defrosted meat, the minced garlic, seasonings, olive oil, peppers, tomatoes, and egg (if the egg is included). Pat meat mixture into 4-6 patties and grill 3-5 minutes. Remember that grass fed buffalo meat is very lean and requires significantly less cooking time than normal meat; keep a close eye on it. These cook great on the grill or in a pan with a lid for quicker cooking. If you like your burgers medium or rare as I do, then pay special attention to cooking time and remove burgers when they are still raw inside - they will continue to cook afterwards.

Serve with sides of your choice. Since I prefer my meat on the less dead side (there are more enzymes which have not been destroyed by cooking and it tastes better to me!), I like these burgers best fresh. They do fine as reheated leftovers, but nothing really compares to a fresh juicy burger! If you like a tangy flavor, drizzle some gluten free and corn syrup free bbq sauce over the burgers. I use the Kraft light bbq sauce since it is gluten and dairy free. It also does not have any corn syrup or high fructose corn syrup, but it does have sucralose. If you can muster the strength (and spare time), making your own bbq sauce is easy and a good way of ensuring no bad ingredients are used. I will make my own sauce in the future, but for now I'm too busy.

Serves: 4-6

This recipe is dairy free and gluten free.

Spiced Apple and Olive Sirloin Roast

1 25 oz. can organic black beans with juice
1 14 oz. can organic mixed beans, drained
1 14 oz. can organic whole pitted olives, drained
2 medium organic apples
1 medium onion
sea salt and pepper
~ 1.74 lb grass fed beef sirloin tip roast
extra virgin olive oil
cayenne pepper

Open and wash off your roast. I used a 1.75 lb sirloin tip roast from one of our local grass fed farming outfits, the Hogan Magnolia View Farm. I washed off the meat but left on the netting so there would be more room in the Crockpot for the olives and beans.

Lean grass-fed roasts can easily dry out if you cook them on top of the veggies or other food in the slow cooker, so be sure to put the meat on the bottom. Add the roast to the slow cooker and spoon over the black beans with juice. Season the meat and beans with the sea salt and pepper.

Cut apples into thin slices (keep the skin on) and discard the seeds and stem. Roughly chop the onion and set aside. Drain the olives and the mixed beans. Toss the chopped onion, apple slices, olives, and the mixed beans into the slow cooker on top of the meat and black beans. You could layer the ingredients if you wished to do so, but I just mixed it all together. Drizzle the olive oil over everything and sprinkle over some cayenne pepper.

Cook on low for 8-10 hours. I cooked ours for about 8 hours and stopped the cooker when I arrived home from work. Serve hot on top of some fresh red cabbage and sauteed torn kale and collard leaves for a nice vitamin rich low carb "base." This is another easy "quick" prep and clean up recipe exploiting the variety of grass fed roasts we have (had, no more!) in the freezer.

Serves: 2-4

Cranberry and Red Wine Pot Roast [Low Carb] [Paleo]

The cooler weather and meat sales must have prompted all of us meat-hungry heathen gluten free bloggers to think the same thing: beef roasts. Our virtual gf goddess Karina just made a fantastic looking beef stew and it seems that there is no shortage of other gluten free (and often dairy free, as this recipe is) roast and stew recipes. Hey, even the veggie-inclined gf bloggers are in full seasonal swing with a plethora of scrumptious cranberry recipes. Check out Melissa's Cranberry Sauce and the Cranberry Apple Turnover at Book of Yum.

1 ~3 lb. grass fed beef roast cut of choice
~2 c. fresh or frozen raw cranberries
2 organic carrots
1 large onion
2 jalapeños with seeds
~1/4 head fresh red cabbage
1 28 oz. can organic no salt added whole peeled tomatoes
2 c. torn fresh kale leaves
1 c. fresh collards
~1 c. dry red wine

Seasonings:
sea salt and pepper
rosemary
oregano
Italian seasoning
garlic powder
crushed red pepper
dash nutmeg

Optional Garnish and Toppings:
organic no sulfur raisins
dash hot sauce

First slice the jalapeño and roughly chop the onion and set aside. I used the Saladmaster to slice the carrots and grind up the red cabbage. Wash and pat dry the collards and kale, then either hand tear or roughly chop them.

Coat the inside of your Crockpot or electric skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Unwrap and wash the beef roast with cold water, drain, and place in the Crockpot or skillet. Season the meat. Add the chopped veggies, the cranberries, red wine, and tomatoes with juice.

Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours. Serve with a few fresh cranberries, some raisins for topping, and extra fresh kale if desired. If you're not on low carb, then indulge in a heaping spoonful of nice hot organic brown rice with a little olive oil and sea salt or some baked red potatoes. Delicious!

I love a glass of red wine with this type of meal, but for those of you with anemia or vitamin B deficiencies (like myself), beware: Red wine, tea and coffee all contain tannins which interfere with the uptake and utilization of iron, thiamin and B12 in the body.

If you have trouble with onions, tomatoes, or spicy peppers, feel free to omit them and add lots of extra cranberries and/or some organic apple pieces for a fruitier roast.

Optional Gravy:
Dissolve about 2 T. of corn starch or arrowroot in cold water. Remove all of the meat and veggies from the Crockpot or skillet and stir in the cornstarch or arrowroot mixture. Mix the starch and juice from the roast well and thicken the juice into gravy by bringing the sauce to a brief ~2 minute boil, stirring constantly. Remove the gravy from the heat and serve immediately.

Zesty Mustard Squash N' Beef [Paleo] [Low Carb]

This is an improv recipe with discounted end-of-the season yellow squash I found at our local co-op. I just started with the basics (beef, spices) and then added whatever we had lying around, like a small bit of cabbage and some salsa left at the bottom of the jar. (I hate that, by the way; I have this need to use up virtually empty containers). Feel free to adjust the spice - this meal is for me so it is not for the faint of heart.

Please see the note at the bottom for great links on the dangers of high fructose corn syrup. I know that doesn't seem related at all to beef and veggies (really it isn't per say), but it is a very common additive in condiments like salsa, ketchup, and mustard. This is a topic near and dear to my heart as I love salsa. In fact, our "quest to health" began just a few years ago by cutting out all HFCS and corn syrup in our diet. You wouldn't believe where this stuff hides! Jon switched to Rudi's organic bread before we were gluten free, since it is one of the few corn syurp and junk free (but gluten full) breads out there. Anyways, enough about that and onto the beef!

1 lb grass fed ground beef
3 small organic yellow squash
1/2 onion
1/4 head green cabbage
5 sundried tomatoes
1 can chopped green chilies, drained
4-5 T. chunky hot salsa*
2 jalapeños with seeds, sliced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 small organic carrot
1/4" fresh ginger, minced
~4 T. extra virgin olive oil

Mustard Sauce:
~4-5 T. yellow mustard
2 T. San-J wheat free low sodium tamari

Seasonings:
cayenne pepper
crushed red pepper flakes
Italian seasoning
garlic powder
turmeric
sea salt and pepper

Spray a large frypan with nonstick spray; add the extra virgin olive oil since the meat is very lean and can get tough without a little finesse. Mince the garlic and ginger and add it to the pan. Add the meat, drained chilies, jalapeños, and seasonings to the pan and cook on medium high (this is 5 on our stove for our special pots) for ~ 7 minutes or until the beef is no longer pink. Be careful not to overcook the meat.

While the beef is cooking (keep a relatively close eye on it), grate the carrot, chop the onion, and slice the yellow squash into about 1/4" thick rounds. You can slice the larger squash pieces in half to make them more manageable. Roughly slice or chop the cabbage, whichever you prefer. I used the Saladmaster to quickly grate the carrot and cabbage but you can just use a good kitchen knife.

When the beef is nearly finished (~ 1 minute left), add all the chopped veggies and mix well. Stir in the salsa, mustard, and tamari, then turn the heat to low (or off to save energy) and cover. Let the mixture simmer for 5-10 minutes until the cabbage is tender. If you like your veggies more cooked then this "al dente" style, add them earlier in the cooking process.

* Watch that your salsas do not have corn syrup or high fructose corn syrup. Both corn syrup and especially high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) have been linked to obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Some interesting sites on HFCS and diabetes are here:

Weston Price: Double Dangers of HFCS
Weston Price: On Corn Syrup
HFCS: Worse than Sugar?
Defeat Diabetes Site: Study on Corn Syrup and Diabetes
The Washington Post: Sweet But Not Innocent

Our "local" blogging nutrition expert Melissa @ Gluten Free for Good is planning a master post on HFCS here soon. I will also be talking in more detail about this, but seeing as it is almost 10 pm and we're leaving town tomorrow and aren't terribly prepared, I'd better get to packing instead. As a side note, make sure the salsa is gluten free; watch those "spices" and do not hesitate to call the manufacturer.

Bison Spinach Pot Pie [Paleo] [Low carb]

Eugh (my new favorite obnoxious word)! I am still ill; I seemed to have picked up some crud walking around in the cool rain at Yale. My coworkers all seem to have a similar cruddy wipe-you-out-a-Mac-truck-just-hit-you sniffle too. Running around on that crazy schedule and different diet must have lowered our immune systems enough to catch the crud. Joy. Anyways, since I am at home and feeling crappy, I have been thinking of a few relatively easy recipes that will help heal and get me back on my low carb, dairy, gluten, egg, soy, nut, corn, potato, rice, and tuna-free diet. I have bison in the fridge - which I adore - but I've been getting a bit bored of the usual spicy meat, sundried tomato, collard, red cabbage, and kale sautees for lunch. I racked my brain for Cindy-edible, yummy, healthy, low carb, ground meat meals. I know what you're thinking: "well that ought to be easy, you do it on a daily basis!" Hey, it's hard to get back into the swing of things when you're feeling monkey-stomped and spoiled from a week of no-kitchen-available dining out :)

Karina, since you're on a similar diet and are reliant on Steve and others to help out, I was really hoping that this recipe would be okay for you and easy enough that someone could prepare it for you. Steve's smashed potatoes and meatloaf must have penetrated my brain as I slept, dreaming of sugar plums and ... bison? Well, this is an attempt to contribute. I'm sure you have similar recipes and food already :) Personally, I'm bored with meatballs, sauteed meat, burgers, etc; I wanted a nice thick slice of meat pie. ~smacking lips vigorously~

You can use grass fed ground beef, ground lamb, or venison if you'd like, but all I have right now is bison.

Vegan Low Carb Garbanzo and Flax Pie Crust*:
1/2 c. garbanzo flour
3/4 c. ground flax seed
1 T. xanthan gum
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 c. water
oregano
sea salt

Mix everything thoroughly in a mixing bowl until it becomes a thick paste. Spray an 8" pie plate with nonstick cooking spray. Put the dough in the middle and form a crust with your mixing spoon by pressing the dough into the bottom and sides of the pie plate. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes. Let cool completely. We used this as the crust for the meat pie, but it is also a great crust for pies if you switch out the spices, as in my Vegan Flax Pie Crust used in this delicious Low carb pumpkin pie.

* You can use any crust you'd like (or none at all, but I think it'd be a bit runny and fall apart without a crust). Gluten Free Bay has been on a delicious looking pie extravaganza lately and he uses the Natural Feast brand gluten-free frozen pie crusts, I believe. Gluten free bakehouse also makes pie crusts in the frozen section of Whole Foods, but I am not sure as to their kosher status since I don't use any premade crusts at this point. If you have allergies or suspect issues with flax, then I'd go with these premade crusts or no crust.

Bison and Spinach Pie Filling:
1/2 lb grass fed ground bison
1/4 lb frozen (or fresh) spinach
3 unsulfured sundried tomato pieces, chopped
3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1/4" chunk fresh ginger, minced
1/4" chunk fresh horseradish root, minced
1 small jalapeño with seeds, minced
1/4 onion, chopped
1/4 organic carrot, grated
1/2 15 oz. can drained* Muir Glen fire roasted organic diced tomatoes with green chilies
1/2 small can green chilies, drained
1/2 T. hot sauce or to taste
optional drizzle of organic maple syrup or agave nectar to contrast the spice
~3 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 can whole green chilies, halved to layer on top

*I recommend saving the juice for another occasion like soup or as a nice liquid kick for scrambled eggs or sauteed veggies.

Seasonings:
garlic powder
oregano
parsley
fresh basil leaves, chopped
rosemary
cayenne pepper and/or crushed red pepper flakes, optional

Dairy Free "Shepard's Pie" Variation/Additions: (I didn't use these this time, but I will in the future)
1 T. xanthan gum, to thicken the mixture into a set "pie"
1 T. Earth Balance Vegan butter
1 c. mashed and cooked cauliflower or the typical not low carb mashed potatoes option (we're out of cauliflower too)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and get out either your prebaked and cooled flax and garbanzo crust or your other premade pie crust. If you are choosing not to use a crust, then liberally coat the pie plate with nonstick olive oil spray. Be aware that not using a crust may mean that the filling just falls apart; the no-crusters might want to add an egg or two to keep everything together (but I didn't use eggs here).

Spray a large skillet with nonstick spray and add the olive oil, chopped onion, minced garlic, ginger, horseradish, and the bison. Turn to medium heat (5). Season and crumble the meat as it browns. Cook for about 5-7 minutes or until bison is almost done - remember not to overcook the bison since it is so lean and will become chewy.

After chopping/mincing the carrot and jalapeños, stir them into the bison in the last minute or so of browning. Stir in the drained fire roasted tomatoes and mix well. You can either mix in the frozen spinach or you can save it for a topping layer as I did; it doesn't matter. Fill the crust with the bison veggie mix and top with the spinach (if you didn't mix it in already) and layer the whole green chilies over the top.

Bake the pie for about an hour at 350 degrees. Let cool completely, then slice and serve with a nice side salad or light vegetable broth soup.

bison lovin' by the slice

swirls of spinach in a close up side view

Grass Fed Beef Roast [Paleo] [Low carb]

I know full well how important high quality, healthy meat is and also how difficult it seems to be to find it. Honestly, I hated red meat and would avoid it at all costs since it was always awful and it never seemed worth the money or effort. I wondered why my parents ordered steak at restaurants and paid extra for it- I mean I would pay to not eat the stuff!

Over time however I heard more and more about grass fed, organic, no-antibiotic, and hormone free meats. At first it sounded like a great idea but not worth the money, especially for a lowly grad student. However, I was wondering through the Farmer's market one day I thought "Why not just try it?"

So we did. I'll never go back- grass fed beef is not only nutritional superior in all ways to conventional meat, but the animals are treated humanely and the quality and taste of the meat is unparalleled. We are avid fans of our local grass fed beef rangers at Baldwin Farms- Mac and his wife really looked after us when we bought their value "family pack" of 10 lbs of assorted beef cuts (from ground to roasts, ribs, and steaks). This beautiful roast below is from the remains of our family pack. It came with a fantastic marrow bone in the middle which I am saving along with the juice/broth for soup later. Remember to cook the grass fed beef at lower heat since it is lower in fat- you don't want to dry it out.

Easy Grass Fed Beef Roast [Paleo] [Low Carb]

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees and spray a large baking dish with nonstick spray. Place the roast in the dish and cover with about 1" of water (or broth with a splash of wine). Season the roast with your choice of spices, sea salt, and pepper. I used sea salt, ground pepper, and a dash of extra virgin olive oil. I garnished the roast with a few potatoes, some fresh radishes, and jalapeños and tossed it all in the oven.

Bake at 250 degrees for about 2 hours or until fork tender. You can cover it with foil if you think it might dry out. You can also cook it in a Crockpot if you have one large enough (we don't!) It's that easy- just plop it in a baking dish, cover with liquid and bake at low heat for a few hours. Yum!!

Spicy Bison Meatball and Collard Soup [Paleo] [Low Carb]

Meatballs:
1 lb ground natural bison
1/2 small onion, chopped fine
2 jalapeño with seeds, chopped fine
crushed red pepper
chili powder
paprika
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4" chunk fresh ginger, minced

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Spray a large pan with nonstick cooking spray and add 2 T. of olive oil to the pan. Preheat the skillet to medium heat (4). Using a large spoon and your hands, form small balls with the meat by rolling the mixture in your palms as shown below.

Place 5 meatballs into the pan and cover, reducing the heat to medium low (3). Cook for 2 minutes then uncover the meatballs and flip them gently. Cover and continue cooking for another 3-4 minutes. Promptly remove the meatballs from the pan to prevent overcooking.

Soup:
1/2 lb. chopped fresh collards
1 large grass-fed marrow bone
6 c. water
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 cup frozen broccoli pieces
1/2 organic carrot, grated
1 green bell pepper, chopped (optional)
2 scoops organic hemp protein powder (optional)
1/2 small onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/2" chunk fresh horseradish, minced
crushed red pepper
dash cayenne pepper

Fill a large pot with the water and soup bone. Add the minced garlic and horseradish and remaining seasonings. Bring the broth to a boil (~ 30 minutes). Add the chopped vegetables and preformed bison meatballs. Turn the heat to low. Cover and let simmer for ~ 1 hour. Serve hot.

Bison Chili [Low Carb]

The pictures don't do this guy justice... our camera is on the fritz so we're on the market for a new one- suggestions? More likely the bad pictures are (my) user error :) This tastes delicious and the bison is a fantastic rich meat which is high in protein, B12, selenium and many other vitamins and minerals. Bison is a nice alternative to other red meats also, especially if you cannot get grass fed meats easily since bison is not treated with antibiotics or hormones. Note: I labeled this recipe "quick and easy" since it is quick to prepare and the cooking is hands-off in the Crockpot, but the 8 hr cooking time isn't quick at all.

1 lb natural ground bison

28 oz. can organic diced tomatoes
1 14 oz can organic Italian cherry tomatoes
1 organic carrot, minced
1 15 oz. can Eden organic black soybeans* (drained)
1 15 oz can organic tri-bean blend* (drained)
1 large white onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic
1/2" chunk ginger
1/2" horseradish
1 jalapeño, minced
2 T. extra virgin olive oil

Seasonings:
1 t. crushed red pepper
cumin
Italian seasoning
dash cayenne pepper

Spray your slow cooker and combine and mix the bison, seasonings and chopped onion together in the Crockpot. Add the beans and the tomatoes. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

* You can use any bean (or no beans) you wish; I do NOT advocate the use of unfermented soy products due to detrimental health effects (I have a soy post in the making), but I do eat black soy beans on rare occasion. I chose black soy beans since they do not raise my blood sugar levels- almost all of the carbs are fiber so they are the "low carb bean." Celiacs are prone to thyroid problems and unfermented soy will aggravate this condition (among many others), so watch out. Since unfermented soy has such a negative impact on the thyroid, add some sea vegetable flakes (seaweed) or iodized salt to your chili when you use the black soy beans. Careful reading of the Eden black soy bean can even shows that even they include seaweed with the canned beans.

In general, however, we use plain old organic beans which I vary by type to get a full spectrum of fiber, protein, and nutrients.

Mexi Beef with Collards and Kale

1 lb grass fed beef (We use our local Baldwin Farms beef..so yummy)
1 jalapeño with seeds, chopped
1 can green chilies, drained
2 c. fresh kale, torn into small pieces
1 c. fresh collards, chopped
2 T. extra virgin olive oil

Seasonings:
sea salt and pepper
cayenne pepper
garlic powder
onion powder
cumin
paprika
oregano

Spray a large frypan with nonstick spray; you can add a little extra virgin olive oil if you'd like since the meat is very lean. Add the meat, drained chilies, jalapeño, and seasonings to the pan and cook on high (this is 5 on our stove for our special pots) about 7 minutes or until the beef is no longer pink. Be careful non to overcook the meat. Add the kale and collards and mix well before serving. If you like your veggies cooked rather than raw, just add them earlier in the process.

I am eating a LOT of grass fed beef, wild caught salmon (especially the canned stuff) and some bison these days. These foods offer a great variety of essential vitamins and minerals which Celiacs are often lacking, such as Vitamin B and B12, selenium, magnesium, etc. I feel like a new person when I eat meals like this- no gas or bloating and I'm actually satisfied (usually I go digging in the fridge right after a meal). I take these signs as not-so-subtle hints from my body that I need to "beef up" (no pun intended) on these nutrients. Oh, and it gets more complicated in that I reacted to Harris Teeter "plain" rotisserie chicken... and I still can't do nuts, soy, or coconut. I think the chicken thing was just their non-labeled seasoning or injected crap, but just to be safe I am eating more of the fish and red meats that I feel great on. Anyways, let's bake in the glow of this not-so-pretty picture of a wonderful spicy beef and greens dish:

Greek Lamb with Roasted Red Pepper and Kale

1 lb. lean ground lamb (grass fed)

1 red bell pepper, roasted (see below)*
1/2 red onion, sliced
2 c. shredded red cabbage
2 c. chopped collards or kale or fresh spinach (I used kale)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 organic carrots, grated fine
2 sundried tomatoes, chopped fine
3 cloves fresh garlic
1/4" chunk fresh horseradish
1/4" chunk fresh ginger (optional)
extra virgin olive oil

Seasonings:
rosemary (fresh and dried)
oregano (fresh and dried)
parsley (garnish)
sea salt and pepper
crushed red pepper (optional)

Chop the onion, kale, and sundried tomato and set aside. I used the Saladmaster to grate the carrots and red cabbage (you can use any box grater or food processor) and I also set those aside.

In a large frypan, sautee the ground lamb with the extra virgin olive oil, chopped onions, and garlic-ginger-horseradish mix. I cooked the lamb on medium heat (5 on my stove which is "high" for our pots) for about 7 minutes until the meat was no longer pink. Remove the pan with the lamb from the hot eye immediately since the lean lamb will overcook.

Plate the Honey Potato flatbread and kale onto serving plates and top with carrot, onion, roasted red pepper, and red cabbage. Add the sauteed lamb mix to the top of the veggies and flatbread and serve hot. I omitted the Honey Potato Flatbread for myself to have a Paleo dinner since I do not digest potato or honey well.


Dairy Option:
sprinkle some feta or chevre goat cheese on top of the lamb... Jon loves this chevre and lamb combination.... I just stare jealously :)

* To roast the red pepper:
Slice red pepper into strips and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Bake at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes or until the edges of the pepper are singed and the pepper has a fragrant aroma.

Flatbread version

This goes great with my Honey Potato Flatbread which I used as pita substitutes. You can buy Chebe or other bread mixes and make more "authentic" pita-style bread, but I generally avoid mixes and indulge in inventing my own flour combos. Not buying mixes is a little more time consuming (for me about 1 minute longer since I throw in the same old baking soda, powder, etc every time), but it is a heck of a lot cheaper and allows for more creativity.

Paleo version