While we're on our Parisian adventure, Dave and I are feasting at Le 404, a swank and delicious Moroccan restaurant tucked in a cobblestone street. The...
Read MoreFive Paleo Dinners To Cook Next Week #60
It’s been another week of new things and fun things! I met a friend-of-a-friend for ginger lemonade, went to a free yoga class at 7:00 a.m. at the top of Vyšehrad, screamed and danced at a Foo Fighters concert at the O2 arena (so fun and easy to just take the metro!), and successfully ordered my whole meal in Czech at a restaurant.
And now my introversion wants me to sit still and be quiet.
Which is actually kind of nice because I’m reading a book I love, and it’s giving me the opportunity to lie on the bed, in front of the breeze coming in through the French windows while I time travel with the characters in the book from modern-day Boston to Shakespearean England (so far). The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O. is the new release from Neal Stephenson and Nicole Galland, and when I’m not actively reading it, I’m looking forward to when I can get back to reading it. I don’t want to give too much away, but there’s magic, technology, flirting, Shakespeare, a love of languages, diaries, PowerPoint presentations, jerks, and heroes—all told in a light tone that makes me want to play along. Basically, it’s everything I want in a good story. And it’s 768 pages, which I love because it means I get to hang out with the characters for another 10 hours or so. You might remember that I read Stephenson’s Cryptonomicon earlier this year and really enjoyed it, so I have high expectations for D.O.D.O.
I’ve been mildly neglecting my cooking duties that last few days, but the fridge is now full of ingredients that are ready to be transformed into meals. Here are some summery recipes to inspire your menu next week.
Dinner Ideas (Whole30 compliant)
Russian Shashlik
Cookup Tips: You can marinate the meat up to 24 hours in advance, then cooking takes just 10-15 minutes. YAY!
Recommended Sides: Definitely make the carrot salad that’s on the page with the kebab recipe—and Cauliflower Rice is an excellent go-along, too.
Curry Chicken-Salad Salad
Cookup Tips: Cook the chicken, make the dressing, toast the nuts and coconut, and cut up the raw veggies; store everything in separate airtight containers in the fridge. When it’s time to eat, toss the chicken with the curry dressing and prepare the salad bed.
Recommended Sides: None required—but you’ll definitely want some pickles on the side, and a little sauerkraut or other pickled vegetables are really nice, too.
Bacon-Jalapeño Burger Balls
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: You kinda really need some oven fries with these. You can go for Crispy Oven-Baked Sweet Potato Fries, Herb Parsnip Fries, or Classic Diner-Style Home Fries—don’t forget the Kickass Ketchup! You can prep all the potatoes in advance, then throw them in the oven with the meatballs just before eating.
Tropical Chopped Salad
Cookup Tips: I recommend against making this in advance; the flavors will be much brighter and tastier when you make it fresh—but it takes such a short time that you won’t even mind. If you want a shortcut, you can use pre-cooked and peeled shrimp. (I am a fan of shortcuts.)
Recommended Sides: This really doesn’t need a side, but if you want extra credit, and extra vegetables, I recommend Cauliflower Rice.
Lemon-Maple Kale Salad
Cookup Tips: This needs protein for a complete meal; I really like it with pork chops or loin, salmon, or grilled chicken thighs. You can wash and cut the kale, and make the dressing in advance, then massage the kale and toss with dressing just before eating.
Recommended Sides: When you add protein, this recipe includes the triumvirate of protein–veggies–fat, so you don’t need anything else!
Summer Treat
Grain-Free Summer Fruit Crisp
NOTE: The photo shows peaches, but this recipe works with all the summer fruits. See recipe for details!
Cookup Tips: You can make the crumble topping in advance and store it in the fridge, then when you’re ready to eat it, cut up the fruit and pop it in the oven. PRO TIP: If you prep the crisp while you’re making dinner, it can bake while you eat your meal and it will be ready for dessert when you are!
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I’m listening to DODO on audible and it’s so good! I have to say, yours was the best episode of WSIRN because she never recommends sci-if books and I got a few good ones from your episode. Keep posting your book recommendations. After I finish this one I have the new Daniel Suarez and then I’ll be in need of something new!!
I loved being on WSIRN. So much fun! And her recommendations were right on. Have you read ‘The Golem and the Jinni’?! I LOVED that book, and if you’re enjoying DODO, I think you’ll like that one, too. http://amzn.to/2t7JhyP
Loved The Golem and the Jinni! One of the best books I read last year! I have Dodo queued up on Audible as my next listen. The last Neal Stephenson I read was REAMDE. A romp through multiple continents and the fab tongue-in-cheek of the title: it’s a misspelling of README, but also a foreshadowing of how a true and thorough “reaming” is perpetrated!As always, Mel, thanks & appreciation for all you do!