Honey Butter Sweet Potato Chips

Remember the Korean singer Psy and his YouTube video “Gangnam Style” that got over two billion views?

Well, here’s the new Korean craze: Honey Butter Potato Chips - adapted for Paleo - and sure to be the next big sensation in your cooking repertoire!

My Paleo Marin Rating: 4 Persimmons

Ingredients:

1 large sweet potato, peeled and thinly sliced (about 1/16") with a mandolin or sharp knife
2- 3 cups grapeseed oil

3 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons honey

Fine sea salt and red pepper flakes to taste


Directions:

1. Cover a baking sheet with 2 layers of paper towels.

2. In a cast iron pot, heat 2 - 3 inches of oil just until it starts to smoke. Add one layer of sweet potatoes, and fry until they start to curl at the edges (about 2 minutes). Turn them over, and fry on the other side until they have brown spots (about another 2 minutes). Give one more flip to make sure both sides get as crisp as possible.

3. Move the chips with tongs to the paper towels (shaking the excess oil off in the pot). Add another layer of chips to the oil. Repeat Step 1 until all the chips are cooked. Add more oil if the level drops too low. The thinner the slice and the hotter the oil results in the crispest chips.

4. In a large frying pan, heat the butter and honey to a low simmer. Add the chips, one layer at a time, and toss them with tongs to coat with the mixture. Put them in a bowl, add salt (about 1/2 teaspoon) and red pepper flakes (about 1/4 teaspoon), and toss. Place them with tongs on clean paper towels. Adjust for salt and pepper flakes to taste.

Serve 'em up!

#paleo #snacks #chips #sweet-potato #gangnamstyle #psy #korean #vegetarian 

Recipe adapted from Chef Tory Miller in Food & Wine Magazine.

*My Paleo Marin Rating between 1-5 Persimmons

I try out these recipes so you don't have to (and modify them for Paleo where possible). The rating will reflect my opinion of the final result in terms of taste, ease of preparation, nutrition, and sometimes, cost.

Iacopi Farms - San Mateo Farmers of the Year 2016

Iacopi Farmers' Market Booth photo from their website

Founded in 1962, Iacopi Farms grows top-quality peas, beans, and artichokes in the cool, coastal climate of Half Moon Bay. They use the technique of dry farming, using only rainwater and retaining it by a careful tilling of the soil. The result is award winning artichokes, and English peas as sweet as candy.

Iacopi Farmland photo from their website

The season for English peas is spring through early summer. You can find Iacopi Farms produce at the Marin Civic Center Farmers' Market on Thursdays and Sundays, and various other farmers' markets around the Bay Area.










My Paleo Marin Recipes:

"Drake Devonshire English Pea Salad" at link here.











"English Peas & Himalayan Yak Cheese on Toast" here.







#paleo #salads #englishpeas #peas #healthyeats #cleaneating #vegetarian #glutenfree #dairyfree #foodphotography #himalayan #yak #cheese #appetizer

Chilled Carrot Gazpacho w/ Coconut Cream & Lemongrass

The temperatures are climbing, but you can easily cool down with this refreshing chilled soup prepared ahead of time and waiting for you in the fridge.

My Paleo Marin Rating: 4 Persimmons*




Ingredients:

1 lb. carrots, peeled and chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped
1 stalk lemongrass, outer leaves peeled and aromatic soft part chopped
1 can (14 oz) coconut cream, preferably Trader Joe’s, or coconut milk 
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons Mirin rice wine
1 Teaspoon red curry paste
Salt and pepper to taste

4 Limes

Optional garnishes: microgreens, pumpkin seeds, pepitas, etc.

Directions:

1. Using a high-speed blender, puree the carrots, garlic, lemongrass, coconut cream, oil, rice wine, curry paste, salt and pepper together for a minute or until blended. Taste for seasonings.

Note: If using a regular blender, for a creamier soup, pour mixture through a wire mesh strainer and push through with a spoon. Discard leftovers in the strainer. Blend again. I used a regular blender without straining to keep all the healthy bits.

2. Put gazpacho in refrigerator to chill for at least 6 hours.

3. When ready to serve, put gazpacho in bowls. Squeeze juice from 1/2 lime in each bowl and stir. Garnish with toppings. Serve.

Makes about a quart.

#paleo #gazpacho #carrots #coconut #glutenfree #dairyfree #lemongrass #healthyeats #cleaneating #Mirin #redcurrypaste

Recipe adapted from Love & Lemons Cookbook, link here.


*My Paleo Marin Rating between 1-5 Persimmons
I try out these recipes so you don't have to (and modify them for Paleo where possible). The rating will reflect my opinion of the final result in terms of taste, ease of preparation, nutrition, and sometimes, cost.

Paleo Diet Basics

Confused about Paleo? Hope this is helpful!

Chart from the Rubies & Radishes website.

#paleo #diet #meat #poultry #fish #eggs #vegetables #fruit #honey #maplesyrup #coconut #grapeseed #olive #kimchi #sauerkraut #glutenfree #dairyfree

Amaretto Ice Cream w/ Cherries & Pistachios

Just in time for the hot days of summer, here is “cheater ice cream" from Chef Justin Chapple’s Mad Genius Tips cooking series.

Cheater because you don’t need an ice-cream maker!  Instead freeze homemade custard in a large baggie, and then pulse it in a food processor until it looks (and tastes) like ice cream.

Cheater because the recipe here substitutes almond milk and coconut cream for dairy products. 

And cheater because - sorry - there’s no alcohol, just almond extract that gives a hint of an adult beverage that’s icy and creamy and totally delicious ~

MPM Rating: 5 Persimmons

Ingredients:

6 large egg yolks
1/2 cups coconut cream, Trader Joe's Coconut Cream brand
1 1/2 cups almond milk, Califia Farms Creamy Original brand
1/2 cup pure cane sugar
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract

3/4 cup fresh cherries, pitted and halved
1/4 cup shelled pistachios, coarsely chopped

Directions:

1. Prepare a metal bowl with ice water that will support another metal bowl containing the custard mixture.

2. In the second bowl, add the egg yolks and mix them with a whisk.

3. I made the custard the following way: In a medium saucepan, whisk the cream with the milk, sugar, salt and vanilla bean and seeds. Bring to a simmer and cook until all the sugar is dissolved. Let the mixture cool down for about a minute or so, then ladle 1 tablespoon at a time into the egg yolks, whisking the mixture the whole time. The custard will be runny, but smooth without the yolks having curdled. 

To make the custard the way the author suggested, see link here. Sadly, my yolks curdled making it this way.

4. Put a large freezer bag in a pot or bowl with the sides overlapping the edges. Pour in the custard, seal it up releasing all the air, and lay flat in the freezer for 8 hours or overnight. 

5. Remove the frozen custard from the freezer, and breaking pieces apart in the bag, add to a food processor in sections. Pulse for about 5 second intervals until the custard looks like soft ice cream. Working quickly, transfer this to a 9 x 4 inch metal loaf pan. 

6. Fold in the cherries and pistachios, cover with plastic wrap, and freeze for 6 hours or overnight. 

Ice cream can be frozen for about a week. 

Makes about 1 quart.

#dairyfree #glutenfree #icecream #desserts #coconutcream #almond #pistachios #vanilla

Recipe adapted from Food & Wine Magazine June 2016 issue.

MPM Rating between 1-5 Persimmons

I try out these recipes so you don't have to (and modify them for Paleo where possible). The rating will reflect my opinion of the final result in terms of taste, ease of preparation, nutrition, and sometimes, cost.

"Bugs Bunny Carrots" on Ice

This beat-the-heat summer appetizer from Martha's Vineyard Chef Chris Fischer was nick-named "Bugs Bunny Carrots" by the editors of Bon Appetit Magazine, as in "That's All Folks!"

It's surprisingly refreshing as the carrots are chilled to their core, and easy as 1, 2, 3 to prepare and serve:

1. Wash and scrub 2 bunches of raw rainbow carrots. Leave tops and bottoms on.

2. Soak carrots in the fridge in a large pot of salted water for about 1 hour. 

3. Place carrots over ice chips in a large tray and serve.

MPM Rating: 4 Persimmons*

#paleo #carrots #raw #vegan #veggies #appetizer #healthyeats #cleaneating

*MPM Rating between 1-5 Persimmons

I try out these recipes so you don't have to (and modify them for Paleo where possible). The rating will reflect my opinion of the final result in terms of taste, ease of preparation, nutrition, and sometimes, cost.