Five Paleo Dinners to Cook Next Week #55

One of the things that’s great about being back in a city is all the international food! Yes, I love Czech food—roasted duck, roasted pork, lots of cabbage, pickled vegetables, potatoes—but Prague has also been charming and tempting me with cuisine from around the globe: Thai, Chinese, Turkish, Balkan, French, British.

It’s like a super-classy international food court at the prettiest mall on the planet.

So this week, I’ve pulled together a global collection of recipes for you. Enjoy a miniature trip around the world, via your taste buds. Happy travels! (As you read this, I’m in Warsaw, Poland, eating bigos!)

Dinner Ideas (Whole30 Compliant)

Reykjavik Salmon Salad

Inspired by: A trip to Iceland in 2015 to celebrate Dave’s 50th birthday

Cookup Tips: 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.

Elvis Burger

Inspired by: The King himself

Cookup Tips: This kissin’ cousin to the SB&J Burger tastes best when you make it just before eating. But it’s fast! And so luscious, you won’t even mind having to cook.

Recommended Sides: Plantains or fries are the way to go! You could have Crispy (green) Plantains, or Pan-Fried (yellow) Plantains, or Parsnip Fries, or Sweet Potato Fries. You can prep the plantains and root veggies in advance, so when you’re ready to eat, all you need to do is crisp them. And don’t forget the Kickass Ketchup!

Çevapçiçi

Inspired by: A trek Dave and I took through Croatia, Slovenia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2013.

Cookup Tips: The meat “dough” can be made 1 day in advance then cooked—or you can cook the çevapçiçi 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! The original recipe calls for grilling, but you can also make these little guys in the oven: 425F for 20 minutes or so.

Recommended Sides: These taste great on a pile of Oven-Roasted Cauliflower Rice and do not skip the Ajvar recipe below! On our travels, we also ate these with Šopska salat: a chopped salad of cucumber, tomato, onion, and bell pepper dressed with lemon juice and extra-virgin olive oil. It’s very similar to my Turkish Chopped Salad.

Deconstructed Sushi Bowl

Inspired by: All the delicious sushi I ate when I lived in San Francisco.

Cookup Tips: Rice and cook the cauliflower and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. When it’s time to eat, prep the other ingredients while you reheat the rice.

Recommended Sides: No sides necessary! It’s got everything you need in one bowl. YAY!

Tod Mun Chicken Cakes

Inspired by: Our favorite Thai restaurant in Austin, Texas.

Cookup Tips: The meat “dough” can be made 1 day in advance then cooked—or you can cook the chicken cakes completely during your Cookup and re-heat just before eating. They’ll stay fresh and tasty for 5-6 days after cooking.

Recommended Sides: These taste great on a pile of Oven-Roasted Cauliflower Rice—or a lovely salad of butter lettuce and red onion topped with Zingy Ginger Dressing.

Condiments (Whole30 Compliant)

I’m giving you two condiment recommendations today because SAUCES MAKE EVERYTHING BETTER!

Ajvar

Inspired by: Our epic trip through the Balkans in 2013.

Cookup Tips: Make this during your Cookup and add zing to your meals for weeks! It’s great on the çevapçiçi, bunless burgers, grilled/roasted chicken, and fish. The original recipe calls for grilling the peppers, but you can roast them in the oven.

Zingy Ginger Dressing

Inspired by: The salad dressing at Benihana restaurants; still one of my favorite places to eat because it’s like Vegas, the 60s, a magic show, and a cooking show rolled into one deliciously entertaining meal.

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 page lists lots of creative ideas for how to put this dressing to good use. (It’s my favorite recipe from Well Fed 2).

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