Pineapple Coleslaw

I’m not really much of a coleslaw person but the other day Dole coleslaw mix was on sale. Serious, SALE. I paid $0.25 a bag! So we have been having coleslaw, and you will be seeing some different recipes accordingly.   

I don’t really have much to say today. Besides, let’s be honest everyone skips this part and just goes straight to recipe. Don’t feel bad, I expect it. Honestly I do it all the time. So no more waiting, or scrolling.  This one is adapted from Dole’s recipe on the coleslaw bag.  Enjoy!

Pineapple Coleslaw

1 8oz can crushed pineapple in juice

½ cup homemade mayonnaise

2 TBS agave syrup

1/3 cup chopped toasted walnuts

2 TBS apple cider vinegar

1 bag coleslaw mix

Salt and pepper to taste

1.       Mix  mayonnaise, agave syrup, vinegar, pineapple, and salt and pepper in a bowl.

2.       Pour over coleslaw mix and walnuts. Stir well and refrigerate for at least an hour.

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Crock Pot BBQ Chicken Sliders, Savory Waffle Buns, and Paleo Coleslaw

I am not really a huge fan of chicken. I’m not usually a big fan of BBQ. But sometimes the planets align and I love them. I don’t know, I guess my tasters are just fickle, or bipolar, whatever.

I had a whole chicken in the fridge and I had every intention of making roasted chicken. I told Josh and his reaction was not enthusiastic. So, on a whim I changed the plans for the day. All that was really necessary was to cook the chicken. Really I just wanted the bones so I could make chicken broth (recipe to come). Well that and it needed cooked right away, I didn’t want to let it sit another day in the fridge.

My whim? Crock pot BBQ chicken sliders. The results were pretty darn good, if I don’t say so myself. For these I used chipotle mayo (recipe to come), pickles, Paleo coleslaw and savory waffle buns. The savory waffles would be great as a side or to use for an egg sandwich. They freeze and reheat well, I just heated mine back up in the waffle iron.

Crock Pot BBQ Chicken Sliders

1 whole chicken, skin and fat removed, about 5 lbs

Seasoning of choice (I used about 2-3 TBS of my BBQ Rub, could have used more but I ran out)

2-4  TBS water

16 oz BBQ sauce (your favorite or homemade. I will eventually post a good recipe for blueberry bbq sauce)

1.       Remove skin and excess fat from chicken. This can be a little tricky, a really good sharp knife helps.

2.       Cover chicken in seasoning.

3.       Crumple some aluminum foil and set in bottom of crock pot so the chicken doesn’t sit down in its juices.

4.       Set chicken on foil,  ad water, cover, cook on low for 5-6 hours.

5.       Remove chicken from crock pot, allow to cool some so you can handle it.

6.       Pour juices from crock pot, reserve for broth if desired. Also remove foil.

7.       Shred chicken and return meat to the crock pot.

8.       Mix in BBQ sauce, keep on low until you are ready to serve.

Paleo Coleslaw

1 bag coleslaw mix

3/4 cup homemade mayonnaise

2 TBS apple cider vinegar

3 TBS honey

salt and pepper to taste

1.       Mix mayonnaise, honey, vinegar, and salt and pepper in a bowl.

2.       Stir in coleslaw mix. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours

Make this to your tastes. I use less vinegar because we don’t like a strong vinegar flavor.

 

Savory Waffle Buns

From PaleoOMG

Makes about 10 servings (20 total mini waffles)

2 cups almond flour

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon garlic powder (Next time I will use 2-4 fresh cloves pressed)

salt and pepper, to taste

3 eggs, whisked

½ cup canned coconut milk

2 tablespoons bacon fat

3 pieces of bacon, cooked and chopped

2 tablespoons chives, finely chopped

1.      To make the waffle buns, mix together almond flour, baking soda, garlic powder, and a bit of salt and pepper.

2.      Then add eggs, coconut milk, bacon fat, chopped bacon, and chives and mix well to combine.

3.      Heat up a waffle iron and pour mixture into the center of each waffle area. You want the buns to be small so only about 1.5 tablespoons of the mixture will do to create a small waffle bun. Cook until slightly crispy.  

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BBQ Ribs in the Oven and Cilantro Coleslaw

I've been busy, busy, dreadfully busy. You've no idea what I have to do. Busy, busy, shockingly busy. Much, much too busy for you. If you know your Veggie Tales, you probably pictured that sung by an asparagus or a blueberry.

I have had so many intentions of putting recipes on here lately, but carving out the time out to come and write has seem quite difficult. So now I have stored up some recipes to share, I just have to pick what goes first.

I have been cheating a horrible amount lately. We just can't have Cheetos in the house without me consuming the whole bag. No one else stands a chance at getting them. Why oh why I keep buying Cheetos I just don't know! I tell myself over and over that I won't do it again and yet I keep buying and eating those delicious orange puffs of goodness (or badness, whatever). I keep trying to get back on track. Like seriously on track. As you will see from today's recipe I'm still a little bit cheating  even when I'm trying not to. Hence the store bought BBQ sauce.

Without further ado:
*disclaimer- I am a grilling kind of girl but my grill has been broken for a while, this was really a last resort.

BBQ Ribs in the Oven

1 rack of pork ribs
Dry Rub:
1 TBS season salt
1 TBS chilli powder
1 TBS cumin
1 tsp oregano
1/4 cup coconut crystals
1/2 tsp fresh cracked pepper
BBQ sauce

1. Preheat the oven to 225 and line a baking sheet in aluminum foil.
2. Set the ribs meat side down and peal off the silver skin, that is the membrane that covers the meat and bones on the back side of the ribs.
3. Mix the dry rub ingredients or use your favorite dry rub.
4. Rub half of the dry rub onto the back of the ribs, place meat on the baking sheet and rub the remainder of the mix on the top of the meat.
5. Cook the ribs uncovered for 2 hours.
6.  Remove ribs from oven and coat in your favorite BBQ sauce.  (If keeping strict Paleo, make your own sauce, otherwise as always be sure to read the ingredients.)
7. Cover and cook for another 2 hours.
8. If you wish, uncover, add a little more sauce and broil until the sauce thickens and browns on the meat.

When I made this I felt like the cumin was a little strong, my daughter thought it was too spicy. When I ate the leftovers, however, I was over all pleased with it.Also, the meat was SO tender. It really was falling off the bones, I picked a bone up and it slipped out of the meat--oops!

Cilantro Coleslaw
This is adapted from The Functional Foodie's recipe.

juice of 1 lime
4 TBS of white balsamic vinegar
2 clove of garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
3 TBS honey
salt & pepper
1/4 cup of good olive oil
handful of cilantro, rinsed well and minced
2 green onions, chopped
1 bag of pre-shredded slaw

1. Mix lime juice, vinegar, garlic, cumin, chili powder, and honey in a large mixing bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste, then whisk in the olive oil.
2. Mix cilantro green onions, and coleslaw mix in. Stir well to coat. Serve immediately or refrigerate for a few hours.

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Finally, satisfied eaters!

I’m quite satisfied with my satisfied eaters. The change to Paleo was smooth and easy for Little Bit; surprisingly so, I mean what 10 year old really wants to eat healthy and give up all the junk? But she seems to like it. It probably helps that she is feeling so much better now that she is off gluten (evil, wretched thing). Josh, however, didn’t just jump on the bandwagon. He eats what I make, sometimes slightly begrudgingly, sometimes with great enthusiasm (I like those times). But he is by no means wanting to be on a Paleo diet.  I have made things and choked them down, Little Bit does the same, because this is how we eat, this is how we need to eat. But Josh still eats regular, so sometimes Paleo experimenting is not so fun for him.

Today was not the case. I was pleased to see Josh satisfied with his meal, so much so that he was not so easily distracted away from eating. Josh and Little Bit both went back for seconds. 

So, without further ado, what did we eat tonight?

Garlic Lime Tilapia

30 minutes, serves 4

4 Tilapia fillets

4TBS Butter

4 Cloves of garlic

Zest of 1 lime

1 ½ TBS fresh lime juice

1 tsp fresh thyme leaves

1 TBS chopped parsley

Paprika

11.       Preheat oven to 350 and line a pan with tin foil.

22.       Melt butter in a small sauce pan. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 3 to 5 minutes.

33.       Remove pan from heat and add zest, lime juice, thyme, and parsley.

44.       Lightly coat bottom of tilapia fillets with the butter mixture, then top fillets generously with the rest of the butter mix. Sprinkle fillets with paprika.

55.       Bake for 15 minutes or until fish is done and flaky.

Top with more lime juice or extra butter mix (from the pan) if desired.

Apple Poppy Seed Coleslaw

(Adapted from  DamnDelicious)

15 minutes active, 1 hour 15 minutes total, serves 6

4 Cups bagged coleslaw mix (or mixed shredded cabbage with carrots)

1 Granny Smith apple, julienned

2 TBS home-made mayonnaise

3 TBS olive oil

1 TBS apple cider vinegar (scant if you want it less  sour)

Juice of 1 lemon

Agave syrup to taste (I probably used about 2 TBS)

1 TBS poppy seeds

Salt and pepper to taste

11.       Combine mayonnaise, olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, poppy seeds, and salt and pepper. Add agave syrup last until you like the flavor. Flavors do meld while sitting.

22.       Mix in coleslaw mix and apple. Stir well.

33.       Refrigerate for at least one hour to let the flavors marry.

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