Five Paleo Dinners To Cook Next Week #115

I was really feeling the spices when I put this collection together, my friends. Get ready for delicious aromas to waft through your house! The luxurious smell of slowly simmering Rogan Josh is enough to turn your whole day around. And then the scent of Merguez Meatballs, Five-Spice Ribs, and Grain-Free Apple Cake are bonus gifts for your nose.

Take a nice deep breath in.

You might even want to hold it for a count of 4, then exhale on a count of 8. I mean, why not combine your cooking and meditation practice?! It’s kind of like Ohm and Mmmm… (Sorry.)

Dinner Ideas (Whole30 compliant)

Paleo Rogan Josh

Cookup Tips: This curry is simple to make, and it’s very, very luscious. You should probably make a double batch; I’m not even kidding. This recipe is great for Cookup day because once you get it going, you can just forget about it while it simmers in the background.

Recommended Sides: Cauliflower Rice is definitely the way to go. If you’re feeling fancy, you could opt for Cauliflower Rice Pilaf instead and make some Mint Chutney, too.

Merguez Meatballs

Cookup Tips: Meatball “dough” can be made one day in advance and cooked the next day; cooked meatballs are good for about a week in the fridge, and they freeze well, so a double batch is a great idea!

Recommended Sides: These are nice served on a bed of Oven-Roasted Cauliflower Rice (and both can be baked at the same time, same temp!) and drizzled with Moroccan Dipping Sauce. You can grate the raw cauliflower into rice and store it covered in the fridge to cook just before eating. Moroccan Dipping Sauce tastes fresh for about 4-5 days.

Chinese Five-Spice Pork Ribs

Cookup Tips: As I told Stacy and Sarah on their Paleo View Podcast recently, I love a recipe that’s basically, “Plug in the slow cooker.” These ribs are not much more complicated than that, and if you make a lot, you’ll have luscious meat to use in other dishes all week. Like this! Or this.

Recommended Sides: I think the only real option is Cauliflower Rice and a salad (butter lettuce, cucumbers, red bell peppers, pumpkin seeds) with Zingy Ginger Dressing. You might also  go for steamed green beans tossed with a little sesame oil, scallions, and sesame seeds.

Reykjavik Salmon Salad

Cookup Tips: This recipe from Well Fed Weeknights was inspired by a trip to Iceland we took in 2015 to celebrate my husband David’s 50th birthday. Cook the eggs and make the mayo in advance. If you really want to go for it, you could also slice the cucumbers and store them in a plastic bag or covered container in the fridge.

Recommended Sides: This is complete as it is, but some cooled, boiled potatoes would be a nice addition.

Chicken Shawarma

About the Recipe: This recipe is also from Well Fed Weeknights! Shawarma is a Middle Eastern dish, similar to döner kebabs (Turkey) and gyros (Greece), an it’s almost a meat salad if you do it right. To me, it’s the toppings that really make the fun: shredded raw veggies, creamy tahini sauce, maybe a spritz of lemon juice, or a few pickles…

Cookup Tips: Cook the chicken, cut up the veggies, make the sauce, and store everything in separate airtight containers in the fridge. When it’s time to eat, reheat the chicken and assemble.

Treat (not Whole30 compliant)

Grain-Free Apple Cake

Cookup Tips: This recipe is based on my favorite apple cake of all time—a retro recipe from 1973 called Teddie’s Apple Cake. This is a nice treat for late afternoon with a cup of tea, best shared with your favorite people.

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