Paleo Chicken Pot Pie.

My guilty pleasure when I was in college was getting a microwave chicken pot pie. I loved them. It was sic.k. So this week, I was craving a pot pie. SO I set off to find a great recipe to satisfy my craving. And boy, did I find it!

Well, it's actually two spliced recipes. But that's because I don't have a food processor to make the pastry. But the topping I used was more like cornbread and it was f-ing fantastic!

Paleo Chicken Pot Pie:

Filling: 

3 quarter chickens 
2-3 carrots
1 red pepper
3 stalks celery
1-2 cups broccoli
1 yellow or white onion
1/2 yellow pepper
garlic, to your liking
1/4 cup coconut milk (canned, full fat) I used probably 1/3 cup myself, I like creamy
3/4 cup almond meal
4 cups chicken stock
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt, pepper and oregano and any other spices you like

Topping:
8 egg whites I use carton egg whites because we eat a lot of them anyway.
2 cups almond meal
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
2/3 cup butter I used ghee because I'm paleo but you could probably use normal butter

1. Preheat your oven to 400°. Put your chicken quarters on a broiling pan and rub down with some oil, I use light tasting olive oil or coconut oil. Then simple sprinkle salt, pepper and oregano. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until they reach at least 160° internally. 

2. While you chicken is cooking, chop all the veggies and place them in a bowl together, set aside.

3. If you have more time while the chicken is cooking, make the topping. This can also be made ahead of time, like the night before or in the morning, and stored in the fridge. Soften the butter in the microwave for about 10-15 seconds or plan ahead and leave it out. Put everything except the egg whites in a bowl. Using a hand mixer or standing mixer, blend the butter with the flour mixture until even. Then add the whites. Blend for I'd say about a minute, or until it resembles pancake batter. It's ready at this point, set it aside.

4. Once your chicken is done, let it cool then go at it pulling all the meat off the bones [This is where chicken breasts would probably be easier.] I personally ate the chicken skin because it was delicious. I don't put chicken in my pies. Once all the meat is ready, you're set to make the filling.

5. Heat the 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot on medium/high. Add the onion and cook until brown. Then reduce the heat to medium/low and slowly add the almond meal. Make sure that you're constantly stirring too! Once the meal is added, slowly add the chicken stock. I used a whisk at this point to work out lumps. You do not want lumpy gravy. Once those are well incorporated, add the coconut milk. This will make is creamier. Please keep in mind that it's not going to be the thick gravy that you're used to but it will taste delicious. Salt, pepper and oregano to your liking.

6. Throw all your veggies in the pot and simmer/boil until just about tender (but not completely done). Add the chicken and stir together. And you're ready to assemble your pies!

7. Your oven should be at 350°. I made 6 little pies, 2 really small ones to sample, two medium sizes and two big ones. Make sure you use oven safe glassware. Fill each container until about 3/4 full, but beware of the liquid! Once you put your topping on, you'll probably end up with overflowing gravy so I had to drain each dish as I was adding topping. Plop the topping on each pie and spread out gently with a spoon. The topping doesn't rise a lot so you can use your discretion. Bake the pies for about 15 minutes or until the topping is browned.

8. Let them cool for about 10 minutes then you are ready to enjoy! I promise it's totally worth it!

{Some Notes: You can use whatever veggies you want really. Use what you have in your kitchen. I'm used to eyeballing measurements. For the chicken, use what you want. If you have breast then use that. Also, there really isn't a measurement for the chicken, use however much you want in your pies. I like chicken so I made sure it was a decent amount.}

Look how perfect they are!

Sources: Fed and Fit for the filling/gravy.  Health Bent for the topping.

Almond-herb crusted Sole and Creamy Spiced Kale

As I wind to the end of the 30 day Paleo challenge, I realized that there was one dish I hadn't yet tried out. Kale.

Although I've eaten a lot of it in the past, I found that I haven't cooked it for myself in a long while. After the Winter of Kale, I have a hard time making kale voluntarily. But this recipe is certainly interesting.

[I made this meal with only one recipe, the creamy kale. The Sole and asparagus I did myself.] 

Almond-Herb Crusted Sole:

Almonds, enough to make about a cup of almond meal
Dried oregano
Salt and pepper
Granulated garlic
Red pepper flakes
4 Sole fillets
Egg
Coconut Oil, for frying

1. Place almonds in a food processor or blender. Blend until it becomes meal. This will act as your bread crumbs, and believe me you can barely tell the difference. 
2. Season the almond meal with salt, pepper, garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes and any other spice you want to throw in there (maybe cayenne and cumin for a Mexican feel or Chinese 5 Spice, which is a new favorite spice for me).
3. Whisk an egg on a plate, this is for dredging your Sole fillets. Bread each fillet and put aside.
4. Heat your pan on med-high until the pan is very hot (not going to lie, our pan was smoking it was so hot but we turned the heat down once we started cooking).

It's ok to be jealous.

5. Fry the Sole depending on how thick your fillets are. Our fillets were very thin, which is why we made 2 each, and fried them for maybe 30-45 seconds each side. 

Lemon Asparagus with Garlic:

Asparagus
3 cloves of garlic
Olive Oil, for sauteing
Lemon wedges
Salt and pepper

1. Heat olive oil in a pan, add garlic and asparagus when the pan is hot.
2. When asparagus is bright green, it is cooked. I like to drain my asparagus on paper towels so they aren't oily on my plate. Then I squeeze lemon wedges over the asparagus and season with salt and pepper. It's simple, easy and quick. And fantastic!

Creamy Spiced Kale:

1 head of kale
2 teaspoons Ras el Hanout
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon coconut oil
1/2 cup coconut milk

1. Wash your kale, removing any stalk with a sharp knife. Don't dry the leaves, a little water will only work in your favor.
2. Heat a pan on med-high, add kale and stir a few times. The water on the leaves is going to steam the kale in this process. Stir occasionally, careful not to burn the leaves like I did, until they begin to wilt.
3. Combine the Ras el Hanout and the garlic. Once the kale is wilting, push the mound to one side of the pan. Add the coconut oil and spices together. Let them cook, just the oil and spices, for about 20 seconds to release the flavors. 
4. Briskly stir the spiced oil into the kale leaves. Quickly add the coconut milk to the pan. This will help the kale not burn..like mine did...
5. Let the mixture simmer for a while, until the leaves are to a texture you like and the coconut milk thickens.

[NOTE: In regards to the Ras el Hanout, which I had never heard of until now but it is very interesting. I wouldn't add the entire measure of cayenne pepper. When I made more of this spice, I will probably add half that amount. I found that my mouth was on fire for a long long time when I made my kale and Jake had to finish if for me. So maybe add less if you're sensitive and add extra spice later if you need it.]

Homemade Tartar Sauce:

Homemade mayo
Pickles
Shallots
Vinegar

1. Place a few tablespoons of your homemade mayo in a bowl. Add finely chopped pickles and shallots (essentially add how ever much you want, it depends how chunky you want your tartar sauce). Splash vinegar into the bowl, don't add too much at first. Add then taste. You can always add more but you can't take vinegar out.