Creamy Coconut Milk Ice Cream

Posted on May 22, 2012 by

OH Dairy.  Not that I would ever wish digestive discomfort upon myself, but I almost wish I couldn’t tolerate dairy as well as I can.  And by tolerate, I mean only in that moment.  I digest it just fine, no stomachaches, no problems that would be TMI for a blog post.

In an almost lifelong battle with my skin, I have eliminated just about every food type to try and pin point the culprit of the breakouts that I should have outgrown oh, 18 years ago.  Eliminating gluten showed some improvement.  Sugar helped too.  But never did I have perfect skin.  I still broke out way more than I thought made any sense for my age, especially considering how cleanly I eat.  It wasn’t until I saw a comment posted on Facebook by Diane Sanfilippo of Balanced Bites when I went AHAAAAA! (and then pouted a bit).  She mentioned  how she’s noticed that her cheeks are a bit broken out in older pictures of herself, when she was consuming just a small amount of dairy.

Shit.

Now, I obviously want to be done with skin issues, being in my mid 30′s.  It’s ridiculous.  But there was a part of me, I’ll admit, that hoped that eliminating dairy didn’t clear up my skin.  That I could continue eating full fat Greek yogurt, ice cream as a treat, heavy cream in my coffee, cheese! Oh, cheese…

I don’t really have to tell you how this story ends, do I?

***

Creamy Coconut Milk Ice Cream

1 can full fat coconut milk
1/4 C honey
4 pastured egg yolks
1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped

  • Heat the coconut milk and the vanilla bean in a medium sauce pan on medium heat, until steaming, but not quite boiling. Turn heat down to low
  • In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks
  • Once the coconut milk is steaming, add one small ladle of it to the egg yolks, and stir to combine. Slowly add two more small ladles full. This will temper the egg yolks, so they won’t scramble when you add them to the hot coconut milk
  • Slowly pour the egg yolk mixture back into the pan with the coconut milk, and whisk until slightly thickened, which will take several minutes. Make sure the mixture doesn’t boil, as this will scramble your eggs. 
  • When the mixture has thickened to the consistency of a thin custard, remove from heat and extract the vanilla bean pod. 
  • Allow to cool for a few minutes, then whisk in the honey. 
  • Transfer to a jar and refrigerate until very cold, overnight is best.
  • Once the mixture is cold, freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. 

This ice cream will be somewhat hard upon removal of the freezer, but softens quickly, and scoops like regular ice cream. 

*** I feel that it is important to note that the picture above is from istockphoto.  My lovely friend who also happens to be an amazing photographer no longer conveniently lives in the in-law apartment of our house.  I have not gotten around to buying a camera yet, and just couldn’t bear the thought of not having a photo to go with this post.  I am not trying to fool you with purchased pictures.  I look forward to the process of learning to use a proper camera, as opposed to my phone, and hope you will be forgiving with the less than perfect pictures that are soon to appear here.   

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Shepherd’s Pie

Posted on April 17, 2012 by

I’m just going to go ahead and say it: This is not a seasonally appropriate post. Shepherd’s pie is one of those cold, snowy, winters night meals, or for those of us in San Francisco, a cold rainy one. In my defense, the cooking and photo shooting of this recipe happened months ago.

I’ve been busy. Mostly with my Kickstarter campaign, and the preparations for it. It’s a pretty big project, and I’ve neglected blogging because of it. My intention is to put a new recipe up once a week, and I will try and get back to that schedule.

Now, onto the current matter: Shepherd’s Pie. After the many hours it took to prepare, style, shoot, cook and clean up, I saw this video from the one and only Gordon Ramsey. Face palm. It’s all in the mince??? I’m doing it all wrong! And come to think of it, he’s probably right. Grated vegetables, in place of diced, would integrate so nicely into the ground lamb and make the whole dish more cohesive. I have always made Shepherd’s Pie the way my mom did, by dicing the vegetables by hand, resulting in vegetables you can bite into. This recipe reflects that version, but feel free to Paleo-ize the Gordon Ramsey method!

the beautiful fresh English peas were my inspiration for making this dish.

chunks of vegetables! Gordon would likely throw this in the trash and yell at me.

evenly covering the meat filling with the cauliflower mash

Out of the oven & beautifully browned

2 pounds ground lamb
1 C peas (either frozen or fresh)
1 C carrots, small dice
1 C onions, small dice
2 T tomato paste
1 C red wine
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 T fresh minced rosemary, or 1 t dried
1 t sea salt
1/2 t pepper

1 batch mashed cauliflower

Preheat oven to 425°

  • In a large skillet on medium-high heat, brown the lamb.
  • Once the lamb has some nice color to it, remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
  • Add the onions and carrots to the hot skillet and saute for about 5 minutes. They will beging to soften and brown.
  • Sprinkle in the salt and pepper.
  • Add the peas and garlic and sauce 1 minute more.
  • Stir in the tomato paste and the wine, and allow to come to a simmer.
  • Put the lamb back in, and simmer until the liquid is nearly evaporated, about 5 minutes.
  • Transfer the meat to an oven safe dish, about 9″ across, and high enough to fit the lamb and a layer of potatoes.
  • Spread the cauliflower mash on top of the meat and put into the preheated oven.
  • Bake for 20-25 minutes. If you’d like the top more browned, place it under the broiler for a couple of minutes. Or, if you happen to have a torch, torch it!

Tuck in!

Posted in Lamb | Tagged , , , , | 7 Comments

Curry Mango Chicken Salad

Posted on March 27, 2012 by

Grapes are one of those things that I will not buy if they’re not organic. I won’t. They are in the “dirty” section of the dirty dozen, a list compiled by the Environmental Working Group to help people make healthy choices when buying produce. Some fruits and vegetables are more contaminated than others, so if you’re weighing what to buy organic vs not, it’s a great list to have. When grapes are in season, just about every store in the San Francisco Bay area has local organic ones. When they’re not, well, they’re just not.

Why on earth am I talking about grapes in a post about mango chicken salad, anyway? Oh right. It’s because my absolute favorite chicken salad is with red grapes and pecans, and I miss it in the winter when there are no grapes. (That I will buy, anyway)  So when I saw beautiful, ripe, organic (albeit imported) mangoes at my local produce market, visions of chicken salad danced in my head. And there you have it: my NEW favorite.

delicious and pick-up-able in butter lettuce leaves

1 perfect roast chicken, or store bought hormone free rotisserie chicken, shredded
1 large mango or 2 Manila mangoes*, diced
1/2 C slivered almonds, toasted
10-12 chives, minced
1 T curry powder**, if unsalted, add 1/4 t sea salt
1/2 C mayonnaise
Butter lettuce leaves, for serving

  • Combine chicken, mango, almonds and chives in a large bowl and give it a stir.
  • In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, curry powder, and sea salt, if using.
  • Add the curry mayonnaise to the chicken mixture and gently stir to combine.
  • Serve in butter lettuce leaves.
* Manila mangoes, also known as Champagne mangoes, are golden orange in color and smaller than the more common Kent or Tommy Atkins mango. They lack the stringy fiber of their mango cousins, and are incredibly sweet delicious. If you see these in your market, BUY THEM.
** 1 full tablespoon of curry powder will yield a chicken salad with a no doubt about it curry flavor. Not overpowering, but definitely predominant. Feel free to start with 1 teaspoon for a milder flavor (also delicious) and work your way up, to your taste.
Posted in Chicken, Lunch, Paleo | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

BIG NEWS!

Posted on March 24, 2012 by

___UPDATE 4/11___________________________________________

AND IT’S LAUNCHED! 

I am very excited to announce that Zenbelly Kitchen is now LIVE on Kickstarter. HERE is the link to the page. Please share the project with anyone you think might be interested, as well as on your facebook and twitter pages if you’re so inclined! THANK YOU! 

___UPDATE 4/2____________________________________________

Great News! Kickstarter has approved the Zenbelly Kitchen Project! While this means that I can press that green launch button any time now, it’s important to do all of this mindfully. To me, that means waiting until next Wednesday, April 11th. Much of what I’ve read on Kickstarter states that shorter campaigns are more effective, so I’m going with a 38 day campaign instead of a 45 day one. (30 is recommended, but I have a gut feeling about this) 

This project is going to take a lot of support from a lot of people, both financially and otherwise.  Having a decent sized group of chefs and bakers ready to use the space will demonstrate the need for a GF kitchen better than any video I can make or words I can write.  If you are a GF baker or chef, or know someone who is, please get in touch with me!  And if you love this project and want to help spread the word, you rock and I appreciate it more than I can put into words. 

I am already overwhelmed with the outpouring of support I’ve gotten, mostly from people I’ve never met in person. Thank You Thank You!  

___3/24/12___________________________________________________

I am very excited to announce that Zenbelly Catering has plans to expand, and will soon be launching a Kickstarter project to meet the financial requirements to do so.

Zenbelly Kitchen will provide San Francisco with a much needed Gluten-Free shared kitchen, and will create:

  • A workspace for gluten-free and grain-free bakers and chefs
  • A workspace for anyone with a naturally gluten-free product, such as jam, chocolate, raw foods, juice, etc.
  • An organic gluten-free catering company, safe for celiacs, worry free for those with gluten intolerance, and of course, amazingly delicious for everyone.
  • A neighborhood coffee shop, serving grain-free and gluten-free baked goods, and locally made artisan creations
  • A place for education, offering assistance to those transitioning into a gluten-free or    grain-free lifestyle
  • And what I’m most excited about: A Paleo food to go and meal delivery service. We will source local organic vegetables, and pasture raised meats from Fallon Hills Ranch in West Marin. So supporting us will also support this amazing family owned and operated ranch, as well as several local organic vegetable farms.

I can’t even begin to express how excited I am about this project. It will truly be an asset to San Francisco, and will allow so many more people to have happy food experiences!

Updates will be posted here on the blog, and will also be announced on Facebook and Twitter.

Until the next update…

Cheers!
Simone

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Perfect Roast Chicken

Posted on March 18, 2012 by

There are so many ways to roast a chicken that one could almost argue that there is no wrong way to do it. You can roast it at 350 the whole time. You can start it high and end low. You can cook it on high heat the whole time. You can flip it, or, not. You can gently place garlic and herbs under the skin. You can stuff citrus and herbs inside the cavity. Roast it on a bed of onions and root vegetables. You can truss it, brine it, baste it, or smother it with butter a la Julie Child.

I’ve tried all of the above, and honestly, they’ve all come out great. The only way I can measure which is best is by the amount of chicken that doesn’t make it to the platter when I carve it. By far, the following method results in the [ahem] “smallest chickens”

Salt it, put it in a hot oven, and walk away. Doesn’t get any simpler.

my favorite vessel for chicken roasting: cast iron dutch oven

crispy skin perfection

Perfect Roast Chicken

1 organic or pasture raised chicken
sea salt

Preheat your oven to 425°

  • Rinse your chicken and dry it well, inside and out
  • Salt it liberally; a good coating. If you’re salt phobic, use more than you feel comfortable with.
  • Place in a roasting dish, or ideally, a cast iron dutch oven.
  • Insert into the hot oven, uncovered, legs first
  • Set a timer for 1 hour 15 minutes and WALK AWAY.
  • Go read a book, start a movie, waste time on Facebook or Pinterest, anything that makes you happy. Just don’t fanatically open the oven door and inspect the bird. It’s fine in there, I promise.
  • After an hour, check the temperature with a meat thermometer, if you have one. Insert it into the thigh, be careful to not contact the bone. Cooked chicken should be 165°, so you can take it out at 160 and it will continue cooking about 5 degrees.  If you don’t have a meat thermometer, wiggle the leg. No seriously. It’s a good indicator, because once the chicken is cooked, the leg will wiggle freely, as if it’s ready to be ripped off and eaten.
  • Using a pastry brush, baste the chicken with the fat (schmaltz!) in the bottom of the pan. Continue cooking for 5-30 minutes. (It could take as long as 1:45. My average chicken cooking time is between 75 and 90 minutes, depending on the size of the bird.)
  • Once cooked through, remove from the oven and allow to rest for at least 15 minutes before carving.

Enjoy!

Posted in Chicken, Dinner, Lunch, Paleo | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Turkey B.L.A.T. Boats

Posted on March 17, 2012 by

I’m willing to bet that there aren’t many gluten free-ers who don’t occasionally mourn the loss of their beloved sandwich. Especially in the beginning. I mean let’s face it: There is something magical about the sandwich; their infinite possibilities, their portability, their social normalcy.

One thing that’s less than magical about the sandwich is the feeling that we all get after eating them. If you’re still eating them for lunch everyday you’re likely saying “what feeling? I feel amazing after eating my daily gluten bomb!” But the reality is, once you change your eating habits, you will probably notice a difference. Cause there’s full as in satiated, and then there’s full as in FULL. Like Thanksgiving full. Super carnitas burrito full. Sandwich full is the latter.

The first time I made these for myself was the moment I realized I can do this. This is not something you’ll eat and think “If only…” Cause there’s really nothing missing, except the bread. And in my not so humble opinion, when you have all this flavor, who the heck needs bread?

Who needs bread?

makes 3 boats, which is my typical serving.

6 slices natural roasted turkey
1 avocado, sliced
3 slices cooked bacon
12 cherry tomatoes, halved or 1 medium tomato, chopped
3 romaine leaves
mayonnaise

Assemble each romaine boat with 2 slices turkey, 1 slice chopped bacon, 1/3 of the avocado, 4 tomatoes, and your desired amount of mayonnaise.

Enjoy!

Posted in Lunch, Paleo, turkey | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Marinated Flank Steak with Mushrooms

Posted on March 15, 2012 by

Flank steak is one of the less intimidating cuts of beef to cook, in my opinion, as it’s pretty forgiving. While I love it medium rare, it’s still delicious cooked to medium, which is not the case for most types of steak. For someone who isn’t all that comfortable cooking steak, flank steak is a great place to start. I’ve also found that it’s often one of the few grass-fed options at places like Whole Foods, for those who have a hard time finding pasture raised meats.

In this recipe, flank steak is flavored with a simple marinade that later becomes the rich mushroom sauce that it’s topped with. The sauce is great by itself as well, if you can’t bring yourself to slice mushrooms are the end of a long day!

crimini mushrooms

slice

marinade becomes the sauce


perfect.


Marinated Flank Steak with Mushroom Sauce

2 pounds grass-fed flank steak
1/2 C red wine
1/2 C coconut aminos
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 t black pepper
1 pound crimini mushrooms, sliced
1 T grass-fed butter

    • Combine the wine, coconut aminos, garlic and pepper in a dish large enough to fit the steak
    •  Add the steak and turn to coat.
    • Refrigerate for at least 1 and up to 4 hours.
    • Remove the steak from the marinade, reserving the marinade, and grill or broil the steak on high heat about 4 minutes per side for medium rare.
    • Allow to rest for 10 minutes, then slice thinly against the grain.
    • Transfer to a serving platter and keep warm.

While the steak is resting, prepare the mushrooms:

  • Heat a large skillet over medium heat and melt the butter in it
  • Add the mushrooms and brown on both sides. (you may have to do this in 2 batches so they can brown)
  • Add the reserved marinade and reduce until it is reduced to roughly 1/2 C.
  • Pour the mushrooms and sauce over the steak and serve.

a simple and impressive supper!

Posted in Beef, Dinner, Paleo | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment