Summer Paleo Series pt.3

This week's post focuses on a key pillar of the paleo diet - vegetables. We all know vegetables as the healthiest of foods, what our mother's forced down our throats when we were kids.  They are low in fat and calories, hold many nutrients like fiber, potassium, vitamins A and C, and have folic acid that helps with red blood cells.

The issue with vegetables that we have heard many times is preparation. Most of our like-diet friends and colleagues seem to eat their veggies bland. Cleaned and cooked but barely seasoned.  Below are five quick and simple ways of kicking veggies up a notch!


Rainbow Slaw with Sweet Tahini Dressing

Ingredients (rainbow slaw):

• 3 cups shredded or grated cabbage (half thinly sliced and half grated)
• 1 cup grated carrots (about 1 large carrot)
• 3/4 cup grated cucumber (skin on)
• 1/2 cup sweet onion, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup grated sweet onion
• 1 1/4 cups finely chopped flat-leaf parsley (stems too)
• 1/2 cup shelled organic hemp seeds

Ingredients (sweet tahini dressing):

• 2 Tbsp tahini
• 2 Tbsp grade B maple syrup
• 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 small lemon, juiced
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions (rainbow slaw):

• Grate or chop and add everything to a giant bowl. 
• Toss the veggies and get ready to toss with the dressing.

Instructions (sweet tahini dressing):

• Combine all the ingredients and briskly stir until everything combines. 
• Taste and add salt and fine black pepper to taste. 
• Stir dressing well until creamy.
• Toss the slaw with the dressing.

Vegetable Curry

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 2 cups vegetables, fresh (broccoli, carrots, snow peas, zucchini, and mushrooms)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 teaspoons fish sauce
• 2 kaffir lime leaves, fresh or from the jar
• 1 teaspoon coconut aminos
• ½ teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• ¼ teaspoon coriander
• Dash nutmeg
• Pinch of cayenne
• ½ cup coconut milk 

Instructions:

• Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add the vegetables, garlic, fish sauce, kaffir leaves, coconut aminos, ginger, and spices. 
• Saute for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add the coconut milk and simmer for 10 minutes, until the vegetables are cooked and soft.

Fruit and Vegetable Salad with Citrus Dressing

Ingredients (mixed fruit):

•  5 cups baby romaine
• 1 pint fresh raspberries
• 1 avocado, diced
• 1 1/2 cups fresh chopped pineapple
• 1 cup fennel bulb, thinly sliced
• 1 cup chopped radicchio
• 2-3 Tbsp sunflower seeds
• 2 Tbsp capers (optional)

Ingredients (dressing):

• 1/2 cup fresh squeezed OJ
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp coriander
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 4 Tbsp olive oil

Instructions:

• Prep fruit mixture.
• Mix dressing.
• Toss dressing with fruit mixture.
• Pour fruit mixture over top salad base.

Roasted Harvest Fruits and Vegetables

Ingredients: 

• 1 pound brussel sprouts
• 1 small sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2 cubes (about 1 cup) 
• 1 Fuji apple, cut into 1/2 cubes
• 1 pear, cut into 1/2 cubes
• 3/4 cup butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2 cubes
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
• 1/3 cup toasted pecans, diced
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 425 and line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.
• Wash brussels sprouts and cut the ends off, then cut into halves or quarters depending on how big your brussels are.
• Add brussels sprouts, sweet potato cubes, apple cubes, pear cubes, butternut squash cubes, sea salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl and toss together.  
• Add melted coconut oil over veggies and fruit to evenly coat.  
• Add mixture to baking sheet and spread evenly to coat the pan.
• Cook for 20 to 30 minutes or until veggies and fruit are soft and tender.  The cooking time will depend on how large you make your cubes too.  Immediately after removing pan from oven sprinkle toasted chopped pecans and cranberries over the veggies and fruit and stir to combine.
• Serve immediately on it’s own or as a side.

Zucchini Chips

Ingredients:

• 2 zucchinis
• Olive oil
• Salt and black pepper

Instructions:

• Cut zucchini into 5mm slices.
• After you slice them, stick them in a bowl and lightly salt them. 
• Let them sit for about 30 minutes.
• Line an oven-rack with a baking sheet and lay them out, then pat them dry with paper towel. 
• Heat the oven to about 120C (250F).
• Brush the slices with olive oil, and sprinkle them with any seasoning you like (I used salt & black pepper this time).
• Place in the oven for about 45 minutes, then turn off the oven and let them sit for another 45 minutes.