Paleo Pad Thai

I love Pad Thai and was able to hunt down a great paleo recipe to use as the base for this meal. It is prepared totally on the stovetop, so there's no need to turn on the oven--which is great on a hot summer day. I was surrounded by chaos while preparing this meal, and had many starts and stops, so I don't have a good gauge for the length of preparation. I would say the vegetable noodle prep takes most of the time. If you have time during the day, you can do a little at a time. Also, have all of the sauce ingredients measured and ready when the chicken is cooking. The chicken thighs worked great, but you could also substitute shrimp, steak, or duck.

Adapted from www.ultimatefitcamp.com.


Serves 4.

Ingredients
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1/4 cup coconut oil
3 medium to large zucchinis
3 large carrots
1 medium onion, peeled and sliced thin
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced
4 Tbsp almond butter (My absolute favorite is Once Again Raw Creamy Almond Butter.)
1/3 cup sliced almonds
1 chipotle chili pepper in adobo sauce, pureed*
1 lime, juiced
2 green onions, white and green parts sliced thin

*When ordering Thai, we usually specify the spiciness level with stars, with 1 star being the least spicy. One chili pepper provides 1/2 to 1 star's worth of spice. To increase the spice level, add another chipotle pepper or season with red pepper flakes.

Preparation

1. Cut zucchini into ribbons with a Y-peeler. First, trim the ends, then slice lengthwise on one side until you reach the seedy core. Discard the outer skin. Peel the opposite side in the same manner, then repeat on the remaining two sides. You will be left with the core, which I highly encourage you to dice right away and refrigerate to toss in with your eggs in the morning. Stack the ribbons and slice lengthwise into 3 or 4 noodle-like pieces with a sharp knife. Transfer "noodles" into a large bowl.
2. Trim carrot ends. Use a vegetable peeler to peel carrot directly into the large bowl, discarding outer peel.
3. Warm coconut oil in a large skillet. Add chicken thighs and cook until browned on both sides and cooked through, about 10 minutes total. Remove from skillet, slice into bite-sized pieces, and keep warm.
4. Add onions to pan and saute for 2 minutes or until they begin to soften and become translucent.
5. Add almond butter, ginger, chipotle chile, and lime juice. Stir to combine and simmer for 1 minute (mixture will be thick). 
6. Add zucchini and carrot noodles and stir to distribute the sauce throughout the noodles. Add an additional 1 Tbsp coconut oil if the mixture seems dry. Cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are cooked through to an al dente texture.
7. Add chicken back to the pan and stir to combine.
8. To serve, spoon pad thai evenly among plates or shallow bowls. Sprinkle with green onions. Garnish with a lime wedge.

Baked Chicken with Roasted Tomatoes

Back in the days before my paleo "enlightenment," I used to make an awesome chicken and brie sandwich with roasted tomatoes. It was great fare for those summer outdoor concerts. I decided to modify the original recipe to fit our paleo needs. This time I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs because I think they have great flavor and they cook quickly in the oven. Feel free to modify the recipe to use up whatever you have on hand. Or cut out a step and use rotisserie chicken. Try it on a summer night while tomatoes are in season. Leftovers are great eaten cold the next day.

Adapted from myrecipes.com.


Serves 2.


Ingredients
3 tsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes, about 1 pint, halved
2 Tbsp + 1 tsp good quality balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme
1/4 + 1/8 tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup paleo mayonnaise
1 Tbsp whole grain Dijon mustard (I like Maille.)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or use what you've got, bone-in or boneless thighs, breasts, pieces, or even leftover rotisserie chicken will work)
2 cups fresh spinach

Preparation

Evenly spread a thin layer of mayonnaise
mixture on each chicken thigh.

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Place in a glass baking dish and bake for 20 minutes. (Increase baking time, if needed, based on the type of chicken you use.)
3. While chicken is baking, in a large oven-proof skillet, heat 1 tsp olive oil over medium high heat.
4. Add tomatoes and cook for 4 minutes, stirring once.
5. Remove from heat; stir in 2 Tbsp vinegar. Sprinkle with thyme, 1/4 tsp salt, and pepper.
6. Place in oven and bake in for 10 minutes. Chicken and tomato mixture should be done around the same time.
7. Whisk together paleo mayonnaise, mustard, and garlic in a small bowl.
8. To serve, divide spinach evenly between two plates or shallow bowls. Drizzle with oil and vinegar and toss gently to coat. Top with chicken thighs. Evenly spread a thin layer of mayonnaise mixture on each thigh. 
9. Spoon roasted tomatoes on top and serve immediately.

Chicken Thighs with Balsamic Vinaigrette

I had some chicken thighs in the freezer and was in the mood for cozy comfort food. Our crazy midwest weather has left me wondering exactly what season it is! These chicken thighs turned out moist and delicious. Two pounds yielded 8 nice-sized thighs. This was quick and easy, and definitely impressive enough for company. It also went really well with the rainbow kale with crispy shallots. Enjoy!


Serves 4.


Adapted from The Food Network.


Ingredients
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil + more to coat pan
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
1/2 cup organic chicken broth
1 tsp lemon zest

Preparation

1. In a large resealable plastic bag, add the first 7 ingredients (vinegar through pepper). Seal and shake or knead the mixture with your hands to combine.
2. Add chicken thighs to the bag, seal it, and toss to coat. Refrigerate thighs overnight, flipping the mixture in the morning (or every several hours).
3. When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
4. Place chicken on a rimmed baking sheet, coated with olive or coconut oil. 
5. Bake until the chicken is cooked through, about 45 minutes. If skin is browned before chicken is done, cover with foil for the remainder of the baking time.
6. Remove cooked chicken from pan and keep warm.
7. Set pan on a stovetop burner over medium-low heat. Add chicken broth and lemon zest,  scraping up the browned bits with a wooden spoon and stirring to combine. 
8. To serve, plate the chicken thighs and drizzle the pan drippings over the chicken.