Keen on Kelp

Beef & Kelp Noodles

Okay, so when you hear kelp noodles, you are probably picture some green, stringy type things to eat. On the contrary, they are actually clear, packaged in water, and they can be found in the refrigerator section in most Whole Foods, or health food stores. They are inexpensive, but they make a big meal and take on the taste of whatever you cook them in. You can have them hot (like in this recipe) or cold and they last a long time in the fridge in their original packaging. Another bonus to this ingredient is that it is high in iron, magnesium and vitamin B9!



 

Ingredients:

1 Package of Kelp Noodles, rinsed very well, and cut noodles (they are super long)
1-2lbs Beef cut into thin strips (strip loin cut works well)
1/2 Broccoli, stalk removed, cut florets into small bite-size pieces
6 Large Button Mushrooms, sliced thin
1 Shallot, cut into thin strips
1/3 Cup Tamari
Sea Salt & Pepper
Chili Peppers (optional)

1. In a large wok/frying pan, brown the beef strips until they are cooked about medium-rare. Remove from the pan and set aside.
2. In the same pan, heat coconut oil, or avocado oil over medium-heat. Add in your vegetables, and stir-fry for about 5-7 minutes; season with salt and pepper.
3. Add in the tamari and simmer for about 2 minutes over low-medium heat then add in the kelp noodles and cook out for another 5 minutes until they soften, continually stirring.
4. Add the beef back in, mix together and serve with a garnish of chillies peppers if you want to spice it up, or just simple Sriracha sauce! 

Las-egg-na?!

Eggplant Lasagna

Sometimes when you've made the choice to eat paleo,you think of all the things that you miss...like lasagna! This version will never be compared to a true, traditional lasagna,but it makes for a solid stand in! One of the key kitchen tools that can make this easier is a mandolin - it will get the eggplant slices nice and thin for layering...if not, a very sharp knife is your eggplant 'noodle' friend. The filling is something you can experiment with - adding in your favourite veg, or switching out the meat you are using to turkey or even chicken. This is also a perfect dish to make now and freeze for future, just make sure you pack it properly before popping it into your freezer.

Ingredients:

1 Large Eggplant, trim the top stem off, cut lengthwise thinly
1lb Grass-fed Ground Beef (or ground chicken or turkey if you wish)
1 Medium-size Onion, diced small
1 Cup Mushrooms, diced (use your favourite kinds)
4 Cloves Garlic, minced
30oz (approximately) Diced Tomatoes (if you can your own tomatoes, use them!)
6oz Tomato Paste
1 Tbsp Each Oregano and Basil
1 Tsp Thyme
Olive Oil
Sea Salt & Freshly Ground Pepper to taste

1. To help the speed of cooking the lasagna when built, you want to pre-cook the eggplant slices. Line a 1 or 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, or as many trays required to cook all the eggplant slices at the same time.
2. Pre-heat the oven to 375F and brush both sides of the eggplant slices with olive oil and place on the tray without stacking them on each other so they cook evenly.
3. Place eggplant in the oven and bake for approximately 3-5 minutes each side, and remove any slices that are cooking faster than the others.
4. Remove the eggplant from the oven and allow to cool.
5. To make the sauce, brown the meat over medium-high heat and drain off any excess fat that accumulates. Add in the garlic, onions, and mushrooms. Cook out for about 8-10 minutes.
6. Add in the tomatoes, tomato paste and herbs. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Continue to cook filling on a simmer for a further 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently.
7. Layer out your lasagna starting with meat sauce on the bottom, followed by eggplant slices, and continue to until the eggplant slices are done and you cover the top with sauce to finish. If you are okay to eat dairy, as an option you can layer in mozzarella cheese if you wish.
8. Cover lasagna and refrigerate until you are ready to cook or cook immediately at 350 for approximately 20-30 minutes.
9. Remove from oven and serve immediately, or you can allow to cool, portion and freeze servings for future meals!

Beef Brisket...that is all...

BEEF BRISKET

Mmmm...Brisket! So this is a recipe that is a little longer than the previous posts, but you will reap the rewards when it is done. This is a two day process, and honestly you really don't have to put too much effort into it! You can use a large roasting pan for this, but I prefer to buy an aluminum foil disposable pan that you can get at the store - no dishes to scrub when you are done! 

Ingredients
7-9 lbs piece of Grass-fed Beef Brisket (this is the best option)
4 Cups Good Beef Broth (if you are buying this, get the low-sodium kind or no salt-added)
1 Cup Tamari
1/4 Cup Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice (watch the seeds!)
5 Garlic Cloves, roughly chopped
1 Tbsp Hickory Liquid Smoke (this is optional)

Method

1. Combine the beef broth, Tamari, lemon juice, and garlic cloves in your large roasting pan. If you are using liquid smoke, mix it in here.
2. Place the brisket (fat side up) in the pan and spoon over the liquid to douse the brisket evenly. 
3. Cover pan and brisket tightly with aluminium foil and place in fridge to chill for 24 hours.
4. Remove brisket from the fridge and pre-heat your oven to 300 degrees. You want to pull it out about 20 minutes prior to putting it in the oven so the meat is not too cold before cooking it - this will allow it to cook through evenly. 
5. Place the covered pan of brisket in the oven and cook for approximately 4-4.5 hours. You can check on it at the 4 hour mark to see if the meat is fork-tender. When it is, remove from oven, uncover the pan and let stand for 20 minutes.
6. Remove the brisket from the pan and place on a cutting board. You can strain the drippings and use it as a sauce if you wish. 
7. Trim fat from the brisket if it is excessive and carve into thin slices for serving - you should always cut across the grain for best consumption. Brisket should also be soft enough to shred with two forks if desired.
8. Enjoy with...anything actually!