Indian Cauliflower Dip (Paleo)

Today I was talking to one of my professors who recently returned from India (she went through the same traveling organization that I did). Talking to her really made me want to go back. Unfortunately, that won’t be happening anytime soon 😦

HOWEVER, I have been offered the chance to go with the same traveling organization to Vietnam and Cambodia to teach.
Already, I have begun to visualize myself over there…

And then I remember I’m an adult now and need to have money stored up for when I’m graduated and possibly jobless      

Ugh! I keep going back and forth on what to do. I need to consult a fortune cookie or something.

In the meanwhile, I’ve been reminding myself of India recently and had the urge to post this recipe this today (I saw cauliflower and curry powder EVERYWHERE over there!).

Indian Cauliflower Dip (Paleo) 

Ingredients:

1 head of cauliflower

2 cups carrots, chopped into 1 inch pieces

2 tbsp avocado oil

2 tsp curry powder

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp salt

pepper

1/3 cup olive oil

2/3 cup vegetable broth

3 tbsp lemon juice

Garnish: dried parsley

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Combine cauliflower, carrots, avocado oil, curry powder, cinnamon, cumin, salt, and pepper together and toss. Transfer to a baking pan and roast in the oven (place on shelf closest to heat) for 15 minutes. Take out, stir veggies, and place back in the oven for another 15 minutes. Take out and transfer veggies to a food processor. Add in olive oil, vegetable broth, and lemon juice. Blend until desired smoothness. Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with parsley before serving (optional).

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Spiced Cabbage, Broccoli, and Almond Stir-Fry (Paleo)

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Everybody was obsessed with cabbage last week. But my love for cabbage has and continues to extend far beyond St. Patty’s Day. My family usually has several heads of the stuff sitting around on any given day (right now we have 5). We just chop it down, place it in a huge bowl, and eat it raw whenever we want something to munch on.

*Bonus “recipe” for you guys*: 6 cups raw and chopped green or purple/red cabbage + 1 tbsp olive oil + 1/2 tsp garlic powder + salt and pepper = my “popcorn” (Yup- popcorn. I eat this while watching movies all the time now).

And, evidently, it’s my comfort food now. This past week, I had an incredibly intensive all-essay midterm. And it took me 3 hours to complete due to my slow handwriting. Actually, scratch that. I didn’t complete it because it was too long. And it was the most frustrating thing because I knew all the answers and how to respond to scenarios- I just couldn’t write quick enough! I can’t even be mad at my professor because she was so nice and let me just verbally give her the remaining answers without any deduction. And she ended up being more upset then I was about taking so long (past the 3 hour class period).

So yeah, I came home completely embarrassed and tired and ready to eat my emotions with whatever my hands could reach, preferably something doused in chocolate.

Right as I walked through the door though, my dad called out that he had just chopped down a new head of cabbage if I wanted some.

Boy, did I. I made up my “popcorn” and ate the whole head.

Needless to say, I had no desire for any chocolate afterwards.

Anyway, since cabbage apparently got me through a tough spot recently, I thought I’d post my second favorite cabbage recipe (sorry, but my popcorn will always be first 😉 )

Spiced Cabbage, Broccoli, and Almond Stir-Fry (Paleo) 

Ingredients: 

1 tbsp ghee

3 tbsp minced ginger

1 tbsp ground cumin

1 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 head of cabbage, chopped

1/2 head of broccoli, chopped into small florets

salt and pepper

1/4 cup chicken, beef, or vegetable broth, divided

3 tbsp almonds

Directions:

Heat ghee in a pan over low heat until melted and add in ginger, cumin, turmeric, and cinnamon. Stir together for 30 seconds and then add and mix in cabbage. Top with a lid, turn up the heat a little, and let cook for 8 minutes. Stir every so often and add in broth, 1 tbsp at a time, if spices are sticking to the pan. Add in salt, pepper, and broccoli and cook (again, with lid on) until broccoli reaches its desired tenderness (I cook it for 10 minutes). Add in almonds and cook for another 3 minutes before serving.   

Green Tea Coconut Bars (Paleo)

In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, I’ve got (another) green recipe post. Surprisingly- and to the relief of my brother- no spinach is needed this time to get the green color. 

Instead, I’ve put to use a small and forgotten container of matcha green tea that has been collecting dust at the back of the cabinet. And bam! Green! (Not that you can completely tell with the crappy lighting…)

Anyway, this tea powder has opened up a range of possibilities! (Green cookies, anyone? 😉 ) Luckily, I have all of Spring Break to “experiment” now!    

Green Tea Coconut Bars (Paleo)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

1/4 tsp matcha green tea (this is a powder)

1/8 tsp salt

2 tsp honey

1/2 tbsp coconut oil, melted

Optional: chocolate chips

Directions:

In a small food processor, pulse together the coconut, matcha green tea, and salt until the green color is distributed. Add in honey and oil and pulse until dough begins to stick together. Stir in chocolate chips. Press dough into an desired container that is lined with parchment/wax paper. Let harden in the fridge for at least ten minutes before taking out and cutting into individual bars.

Ginger-Pear Avocado Shake (Paleo)

I am not a picky eater. But when it comes to drinks, I am the most pickiest person in the world. My drink consumption consists of water, the shakes featured on this blog (for special occasions) and perhaps a hot chocolate on a cold day.

I just can’t get into replacing a meal or snack with liquid. It never fills me up. Plus, I don’t like having sugar-filled shakes for a meal.

So, I was pleasantly surprised when I made this shake and I did get filled up. And, it’s not a killer sweet drink (which makes it more appealing to me!). Rather, the ginger and lime gives it a more… savory (?) taste.I finally have a “drinkable meal” for when I’m on the go 🙂

So warning: do not expect a dessert-like drink (if you do, just add a banana/sweetener!)   

Ginger-Pear Avocado Shake (Paleo)

Ingredients: 

1 avocado

1 pear, peeled and sliced

2 cups fresh spinach

1 and 1/2 cups almond milk

5 ice cubes

3 tbsp lime juice

2 tbsp minced ginger

1/4 tsp salt

optional: protein powder, coconut sugar, honey, or maple syrup if sweetness is desired (I omit though)

Directions:

Blend all ingredients together until smooth.

BLT and Avocado Egg Salad (Paleo)

We all have our OCDs, right? Some just happen to be more, ummm, quirkier (?) ones then others.

Like when I was little and had to use the bathroom, I HAD to lock the door, jiggle the door knob to make sure it was locked, and then peek behind the shower curtain to make sure an axe murderer/monster/sister wasn’t there.

And then there was the need to hold my breath and touch something white every time I passed a cemetery.

Not to mention my (still) OCD of rereading my favorite book series starting the first day of Spring every year.

Hey- don’t judge! We all have our quirks (some just worst then others 😉 )

And another mandatory quirk of mine? Having some form of green eggs and ham/bacon every Dr. Seuss day (which happens to be tomorrow!) And that means either having

1) Avocado Deviled Eggs

2) Natural-Colored Green Eggs (and Ham) 

OR:

BTL and Avocado Egg Salad (Paleo)

Ingredients:

4 hard boiled eggs

1 avocado

2-3 cooked strips of organic bacon, broken into pieces

2 medium tomatoes, diced

salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Chop eggs into small pieces and set aside. In a bowl, use a fork to mash up the avocado. Add in eggs and the rest of the ingredients and mix altogether. Let sit in the fridge for at least 1 hour before eating (I think it tastes better when it sits, but I won’t blame you if you can’t wait 😉 )