Five Paleo Dinners To Cook Next Week #29

I wish I had exciting adventures to share with you, but I just spent the last two days copyediting my manuscript. Trust me when I say there is nothing exciting about copyediting, unless you think staring at the word coleslaw for five minutes—baffled by its previously–unseen mysteries—is exciting. Ditto the phrases “purplish red” and “sliced thin” versus “thinly sliced.” In related news…

I walked 2.5 miles just inside the house yesterday.

And another four miles throughout the day, simply walking back and forth on my street when I took breaks from the computer. I feel a little like this:

But… my final, copyedited manuscript for Well Fed Weeknights (November 1, 2016!) is in the hands of our book designer, and we’re off to Toronto for the Toronto Comic Arts Festival (TCAF). Dave is moderating a few panels, and I intend to take lots of naps in between inspirational talks and city rambles.

The recipes this week are inspired by my situation and my desire for food that’s delicious and comforting. These recipes (a) make enough for leftovers, (b) are very easy to cook, and (c) taste better the longer they sit around. Enjoy!

Dinner Ideas (Whole30 compliant)

South Indian Curry

Cookup Tips: This curry is ridiculously easy to make and so luscious and comforting! You’ll need to add protein to this to make it a complete meal: grilled chicken, poached shrimp, browned ground beef or lamb, or cooked salmon are all good choices. (Use a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store or canned salmon to make it über-easy.) Or try it for breakfast topped with a few fried eggs! Make the sauce during your Cookup, then just reheat with your favorite protein when it’s time to eat.

Recommended Sides: Cauliflower Rice is very nice.

Slow Cooker “Osso Bucco” Stew

Cookup Tips: This stew grows even more delicious on days 2 and 3, and it freezes well. It also requires very little commitment from you: Throw it in the slow cooker during a Cookup or just plop the ingredients into the slow cooker before bed; by morning, it’s stew!

Recommended Sides: Mashed Cauliflower is pretty nice underneath—and a salad with Zingy Ginger Dressing or Creamy Italian would be delicious alongside.

Walnut-Crusted Pork Chops with Baked Apples

Cookup Tips: There are two prepping options for this bad boy: prep some of the raw ingredients in advance during your Cookup (roast the walnuts, pre-cook the apples), then bake the apples and brown the chops when you’re ready to eat… or do the whole shebang in advance and reheat in the oven before eating (300F, covered in foil).

Recommended Sides: Colorful veggies are the way to go: either Simple Red Cabbage Salad or Mustard-Garlic Brussels Sprouts (or both!).

Czech Meatballs

Cookup Tips: Meat “dough” can be made 1 day in advance then cooked—or you can cook the meatballs during your Cookup and re-heat just before eating. They’ll stay fresh and tasty for 5-6 days after cooking. They also freeze like champs!

Recommended Sides: I like these with green beans (steamed and tossed with ghee), Mashed Cauliflower, or boiled potatoes with ghee and parsley.

Scotch Eggs

Cookup Tips: You can boil the eggs during your Cookup and mix the meat with its seasonings, then roll and bake them just before eating for maximum crunch. Or make them completely in advance and reheat before eating. Either way, they taste great.

Recommended Sides: You can be responsible (two ways to cook kale), playful (Sweet Potato Fries), starchy (Classic Diner-Style Home Fries), or crisp (Chopped Salad). You might also make a quick dipping sauce of homemade mayo mixed with mustard. The Brussels sprouts taste best when roasted just before eating and the cabbage salad tastes best when it’s fresh. But you can prep both the sweet potatoes and white potatoes in advance, then do the final cooking when you’re ready to eat them. Mayo can be made during a Cookup and used all week.

Condiment (Whole30 compliant)

Zingy Ginger Dressing

Cookup Tips: You can make this during your Cookup in under 10 minutes, and it stays fresh in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks. The recipe lists lots of creative ideas for how to put this dressing to good use. (It’s my favorite recipe from Well Fed 2).

Treat (Whole30 Compliant)

Homemade Coconut Butter

Cookup Tips: Takes 10 minutes, changes your life. Homemade Coconut Butter for, like, a quarter of the price of a jar. Plus you get to gloat because you made it your own damn self.

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