Mexican Shepherds Pie

This ended up being a recipe where I used some odds and ends in my fridge and freezer. Less waste of super expensive organic food! Victory!

In this cold, cold weather I have been craving warm, hearty meals. But I tend to find stews and casseroles heavy on the meat and low on other flavours. So I decided to try out a Mexican version of classic Shepherds Pie.

Recipe based on a recipe from The Gracious Pantry but diverges quite a lot.

Bottom Layer Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds of ground meat, lentils and/or beans
  • I had some leftover ground beef and ends of kidney beans, black beans and brown lentils I had previously soaked, cooked in a crockpot and froze. Ground chicken or turkey would also be great. Use one thing or combine a bunch. If you use canned beans, check the ingredient label to make sure there are no chemical-sounding preservatives.
• 1 tbsp avocado oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 red, orange or yellow pepper, diced
• 2 tomatoes, diced and 1/3 cup crushed tomatoes
  • or 1 small can of diced tomatoes
  • or 1 cup of salsa
  • or 3-4 tomatoes, diced
  • ***Use up any tomato-y ends that are in your fridge, hence my combination of tomato sauce and fresh tomatoes. 
• 1 tbsp each garlic powder, chilli powder and cumin
  • (Spices lose their flavour the longer you’ve had them – if you feel like your flavours are bland, replace your spices!)
• sea salt, pepper and red pepper flakes to taste

Top Layer Ingredients

• 2 large sweet potatoes
• 1/2 a large cauliflower
• juice of 2 limes or to taste (I use Lakewood Organic)
• 1/2 cup of water
• 1 tsp each of cumin and garlic powder
• sea salt to taste

Method for Bottom Layer

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Get out your casserole pan and put your 2 sweet potatoes and half a head of cauliflower on it. Throw it in the oven. I left it in for about 45 minutes.
2. While they previous items bake, or on a completely different day, prepare the bottom layer. Put your ground meat (optional), avocado oil and onion in the pan at medium heat.
3. After the meat is mostly browned, toss in the peppers and tomatoes and let it cook for 3-5 minutes.
4. Add spices. Throw in beans and lentils, if you are using them. They don’t need to be cooked, just warmed for a few minutes.

Method for Top Layer

1. When the sweet potatoes and cauliflower have finished baking, let them cool down so they are easier to handle. Remove the skin from the potatoes (don’t throw it out – nutrients!) and mash them.
2. Roughly chop the 1/2 cauliflower head and you can throw in it a food processor or keep chopping/mashing manually. I added the potato skins to this process. Add lime juice and enough water that the food processor will work well or it is a pleasing consistency to you.
3. Mix the cauliflower and sweet potato lumpy mash together. Add spices.

Method: Bring it together!

1. Let’s prevent unnecessary dirty dishes, and use the casserole dish we used for baking the vegetables as the dish for the final product. Evenly distribute the bottom layer first and the top layer second. Mist the top with avocado oil if you have a mister.
2. Put in oven at 400F for approximately 45 minutes. Broil after for 5-10 minutes to get a bit of a crunchy top.

And done! I put hot sauce on mine. I think it would be great with slices of avocado too.

Easy Green Beans

This is one of the simplest and tastiest side dishes I make. Once upon a time, I would have just doused a lot of veggies in butter, but those times have passed! I came up with this as a kind of substitute.

Ingredients:

3 cups green beans (I use frozen most of the time and I just throw as much as I want in)

1-2 tbsp avocado oil

Garlic to taste (powder or fresh)

1-2 tsp mustard seeds

Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1. You can steam, boil or fry the green beans to cook them.
2. Add the oil, spices and beans to a pan and fry for a few minutes. It is that easy!
3. Options: add seeds or nuts, as per your taste. I have used slivered almonds and hemp seeds. Add hemp seeds after cooking as to not destroy the good omega-3 oils.

A Sri Lankan Chicken Curry

I am usually disappointed in my own curries.

How do I get that depth of flavour like in a restaurant?

Well, this one turned out pretty great!!

Recipe from Happy & Harried – click me for method and directions.

My comments or alterations are in italics.

 

Chicken Marinade

• Chicken – 2 lbs, medium-sized bone-in pieces preferred
  • I actually used two pans, where in one I cooked boneless chicken, and in the other I cooked haddock; together they roughly made up the 2 lbs. Variety!
• Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
• Red chili powder – 1 tsp
• Madras curry powder – 1 tsp
  • I got this in a little jar from Whole Foods. No, the standard yellow “curry powder” in every grocery store is not the same thing. Different curries are different mixes of different spices. If you have a decent spice collection, google madras curry powder and make your own blend. If you buy a madras blend, do check labels to confirm the ingredients are only spices. Mixes often have sugars.
• Black pepper – 1 tsp, freshly cracked
• Tamarind paste – 1 1/2 tsp (or 2-3 tbsp thick tamarind water)
  • You can generally find tamarind in health food stores or some “ethnic” stores. I recommend the kind that looks like a plastic-wrapped block. It’s dark brown and hard. You break off a piece and put a few tablespoons of boiling water over it. Let it sit and try to mash up the tamarind in it as best as it will allow. The water will grow brown and cloudy. Strain out the chunks and use the water (which should be thicker) in the recipe. Tamarind is AWESOME – it is a tangy fruit.
• Salt – 1 tsp

Curry (or sauce you will cook the chicken in)

• Avocado Oil – 3 tbsp
  • I added water at one point because things were sticking. If you add too much, turn up the heat and let it boil away. 
• Onion – 1 large, finely chopped
• Ginger – 1″ knob, chopped
• Garlic – 5-6 cloves, crushed and chopped
• Curry leaves – 2 sprigs
  • I used dried that I bought at a health food store. 
• Whole spices – 1″ piece of cinnamon, 3-4 cloves, 3-4 green cardamom pods
  • Crushing my own spices is not something I’ve tried yet, but I had these three things in powder so just estimated how much I thought it would be if I ground them. Basically a pinch of each. 
• Red chili powder – 1 tsp
• Madras curry powder – 1 1/2 tsp
• Tomato – 1, chopped
• Coconut milk – 1/2 cup
  • Be very careful of coconut milk brands. The cheap cans have preservatives that make my stomach very angry. Examples of safe brands are: Whole Foods 365, Thai Kitchen and Earth’s Choice. Always check ingredient labels. Do buy the smaller cans if they have them. The more standard larger cans are two cups and I find it difficult to use it all. 

Peanut Butter Granola Cookies

So it feels a bit false to call something a cookie when it is sugar-free, because you expect that blood sugar rise. That dopamine hit. You do not get the dopamine hit with these.

Dopamine is the same thing that is activated in drugs and alcohol addiction.

But the more I eat these, the more I like them as my body adjusts its’ expectations. It is possible to get used to no sugar — so many of the things I used to love to eat taste disgustingly sweet now. What is great about these, is that they are satisfying. With conventional cookies, the more I eat, the more I want.

This recipe gives a bit of sweetness to your life and satisfies your hunger.

These are great dipped in unsweetened vanilla almond milk.

Ingredients:

• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp liquid stevia
• 1/2 cup natural peanut butter (only ingredient should be peanuts)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (common for sugar to be added – check)
• 1/2 unsweetened dessicated coconut
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 c cacao nibs (they don’t taste amazing alone, but are fine in recipes)
• 1 tbsp, heaping, of xylitol

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Mix together the egg, stevia, peanut butter and vanilla extract in a  small bowl.
3. In another bowl, mix together the dry ingredients.
4. Mix everything together.
5. Wet your hands and form the mixture into 10-12 balls and set them on a baking sheet covered in parchment paper. Mash down each ball with a fork.
6. Bake for 12-14 minutes.

Taco Salad or Rice Bowl

This is more of a general blueprint than a set recipe, but really, aren’t all recipes?

Taco Seasoning recipe from Food Renegade – click me for methods and directions.

 

 

 

 

Ingredients: 

1. Greens
   • I used spinach but use anything. Any type of lettuce would be best.
2. Raw veggies & fruit
   • Use the odds and ends from your fridge. I used cucumber, onion (fried), avocado, mango, purple cabbage (sliced thin) and cilantro. Remember the rule of thumb that the more colourful it is, the more nutritious.
3. Salsa
   • I used fresh pico de gallo from Farmboy. Use whatever you want but check the label to make sure it is free from sugar or other preservatives.
4. Meat and/or beans
   1. I used organic lean ground beef, but ground chicken and turkey would work too. Then I also added black beans I cooked a few days ago.
5. Taco seasoning. As per usual, make extras to keep in a jar in your spice cupboard. I’m compelled to note that this doesn’t hit me like Old El Paso Taco seasoning. Not that it doesn’t taste good. Give yourself time to adjust to flavours without added sugar. The third ingredient of Old El Paso is maltodextrin, which is sugar. The fourth is “spice” – whatever that means. Add in some preservatives and there you go. Club House taco seasoning contains sugar and hydrolyzed wheat protein (code for MSG). You know it will get worse as you buy the cheaper ones. While a bit of spice mix seems like not a big deal, I find they really cause me indigestion and nausea.
   • 1 Tbsp. Chili Powder
   • 1/4 tsp. Garlic Powder
   • 1/4 tsp. Onion Powder
   • 1/4 tsp. Crushed Red Pepper Flakes (decrease if you don’t like spicy)
   • 1/4 tsp. Dried Oregano
   • 1/2 tsp. Paprika
   • 1 1/2 tsp. Ground Cumin
   • 1 tsp. Sea Salt (decrease if you don’t like things very salty)
   • 1 tsp. Black Pepper (optional)
6. Lime (to taste).
7. Brown rice or quinoa.
   • If I didn’t add beans, I would have added one of these to fill up my stomach with healthy carbs. Otherwise, I would be hungry again too quickly.
   • Another option is to make this more of a rice bowl than a salad. Heavier on the grain and lighter on the veg.

Directions:

1. Chop up the vegetables and/or fruit. Throw them in a bowl. Add cooked rice or quinoa if you choose.
2. Cook onions in a pan with a bit of water (we will get our grease from the meat in a bit – do add avocado oil if you do not use beef).
3. Add the meat into the pan and cook until brown all the way through.
4. Add spices, and if you choose, beans.
5. Once cooked, add the mixture on top of your salad and then add salsa and lime according to your preferences.

 

Sweet Potato Hash

This is so warm and comforting. There are many versions of this and this is mine.

3 sweet potatoes

2 tbsp of olive oil (add more if sticking)

1/3 cup of chopped onion

1 package of ground turkey or chicken

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp rosemary

 

Directions:

• Chop up the sweet potatoes into bite size pieces, or smaller, depending on your preferences. There are four ways you can cook these. You can steam them, boil them, roast them, or fry them.
  • This would be a good time to use sweet potatoes roasted whole in the oven when you were cooking something else (a time saver I shared in a previous post – when you put anything in the oven, throw some sweet potatoes in whole, even if you have no plan for them yet).
• Put oil and chopped onions in your frying pan on medium heat. Let the onions cook for 3-5 minutes, then put in your turkey or chicken. Add the herbs and seasonings. Cook until there is no pink left in the chicken (around ten minutes, if even).
• Check the potatoes with a fork to see if they are soft. Once finished, drain them of water and dump the potatoes in the pan with the cooked chicken and onions. Mix and fry for 3-5 minutes.

Servings: 3

I split this recipe into three servings (I just put in separate containers with a measuring cup equally) based on the protein content of the meat. Each serving is approximately 25-30g of protein. I recommend eating this meal with a serving of vegetables or fruit. Because every meal needs this component! And sweet potatoes are not your vegetable.

Shakshuka: Eggs in Tomato Stew

I’m in love with Shakshuka. It is so so so tasty and pretty easy, especially if you are used to making pasta sauces or stews.

Recipe from Smitten Kitchen – click me for method and directions. My alterations in italics.

1/4 cup olive oil
5 Anaheim chiles or 3 jalapeños, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped (or according to your taste – many recipes just include a sweet bell pepper)
1 small yellow onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, crushed then sliced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon paprika
1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, undrained (I shun canned tomatoes when tomato is such a central flavour to the dish. I buy tomatoes, roast them in the oven – until their skin starts to split or curl off – peel them and mash them up). 
Sea salt, to taste
6 eggs
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley (or cilantro)

Sprinkle some kalamata olives on top! Yum! I also have made this recipe with chickpeas, navy beans or black beans, instead of, or in addition to eggs. If you are buying cans of beans, look at the ingredient label for chemical preservatives. The cheap ones usually have them. Consider buying dry beans and cooking them. Very cheap! Soaking dried beans ahead of time also make them easier to digest.

Traditionally, this is eaten with bread but this clearly isn’t going to happen for me. I eat it with crackers (look for buckwheat @ a health food store or Mary’s brand), brown rice cakes (I like the thinness of the Fit Figure brand – can get them at Bulk Barn or health food stores), or plain rice.

Kalamata Olive Hummus

This is the recipe that my friend Luc asks me about every time I see him. I gave some to him once and it is evidently forever burned in his brain.

Recipe from Vegan in the Freezer- click me for method and directions. My alterations are in italics.

15 ounces chickpeas can, drained (I buy dried chickpeas. Cheaper and I think they taste significantly different and better. I soak them in water during the day and then put them in the crockpot overnight (low for 8 hours) to cook them. This would be about 3/4 cup dried beans. But I do a big batch up all at once and freeze them.). 
1/2 cup kalamata olives rinsed and pitted, you can also find them already pitted
1/4 cup lemon juice fresh (Santa Cruz organic or fresh lemons – this would be about a lemon and a half’s worth of juice)
1/4 cup tahini (you can find this in “ethnic” or “world” food sections of health food stores)
2 cloves garlic peeled
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
dash black pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, or as much as it needs for your desired consistency

Throw it all in the food processor.

This can be frozen!

Chocolate

What? Can this be? Sugar free chocolate that takes minutes to make and is delicious? YES. This recipe is how I survive my crazy diet restrictions.

Recipe from Dr. Matheson’s blog @ Hampton Wellness. My alterations in italics.

1/4 cup almond butter (I have used all different kinds of nut butter – especially love hazelnut!)
1/4 cup coconut oil (get a good price at Winners or Costco)
1 tablespoon cocoa powder (I use Camino – make sure it is unsweetened – check ingredient labels)
1 dropper full of stevia

I always add sea salt. A small amount! I use two 1/2 turns of the sea salt mill. I have also added shredded/desiccated coconut. Yum!

Shawarma Rice

I had this with the posted Shawarma chicken and a salad (chopped cucumber, tomato, red onion, orange pepper, garlic scapes and lemon garlic dressing).

Recipe from Fauzia’s Kitchen Fun- click me for methods and directions. My alterations in italics. 

1 cup rice
water (whatever your rice package says it needs)
2 tbsp avocado oil (more if needed)
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove or a few generous shakes of garlic powder
2 cloves or a pinch of powdered cloves
1 cardamom pod or a pinch of cardamom powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder (i ran out and a tsp cumin seeds is good too)
1/4 tsp black pepper powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
sea salt to taste
1 tbsp chopped coriander or a tsp of coriander powder

I cooked the rice by itself normally. Fried the onions in the oil, added the spices and garlic and then mixed in the rice and let it fry for a minute. I used the same pan that I used to cook my Shawarma Chicken, so that probably gave it flavour too.

I used “Sprouted organic black bean organic wild blend” rice from Costco, with the idea in mind that the more variety is in your diet, the healthier you will be. There are a surprising amount of rice varieties if you pay attention. It makes life a little more interesting what with the lack of gluten.