Gourmaleo

Grilling citrus shrimp and buffalo burgers at 9:30am. Weird,...

Wed, 08 May 2013 11:01:47 -0400

Grilling citrus shrimp and buffalo burgers at 9:30am. Weird, but its the nicest time of day weather wise so I like to grill early in the day. Having a cup of Ruta Maya organic coffee with work.

Paleo Tamales!

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 22:53:19 -0400

I can’t take credit for this recipe. Naked Paleo tweeted me and suggested I try this recipe for tamales made with a plantain paste instead of traditional masa. Thinking that it would be super time consuming, I put it off for 2 months until my husband insisted we give it a try. Surprisingly, this recipe isn’t that time consuming at all! We used leftover smoked brisket as the filling and bacon fat as the binder for the dough.

We found that spreading the dough on the top 2/3 of the banana leaf left plenty of room to fold the bottom of the banana leaf under and set it upright for steaming:

After we rolled all of the tamales, we steamed them for about an hour. We used banana leaves but you can use parchment paper. Whatever you do, don’t crowd the steamer. It’s worth it to steam 2 smaller batches and not crowd them.

After they steamed for an hour, we dug into our dinner and the result was SO convincing! These are really filling too- I went to eat 3 and could barely finish 2. I’m so excited for the leftovers! Check out the recipe here.

Saturday mornings at The Dallas Farmers Market are always so...

Sat, 13 Apr 2013 12:57:29 -0400

Saturday mornings at The Dallas Farmers Market are always so fun! This is about half of my weekly order from Juha Ranch. (The other half is in the freezer for Wednesday’s deliveries.) The most rewarding part about this is not just eating local grass fed and pastured meats from compassionately raised animals but putting a name and a face to the hard working people who run the ranch.

UPDATED WEBSITE COMING SOON!

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 23:48:36 -0400

I have been getting a lot of requests for more information on Gourmaleo deliveries and that’s GREAT! Right now I am still accepting clients for custom gourmet paleo meal deliveries and we are looking to expand very soon. Email info@gourmaleo.com for a sample menu, pricing information and to find out about my sources and ingredients. Also check out my facebook page for updated information. Bon Appetit!

The ladies at Juha Ranch treated me to a goose egg this morning...

Sat, 30 Mar 2013 14:26:31 -0400

The ladies at Juha Ranch treated me to a goose egg this morning when I went shopping at the Farmer’s Market. Guess who’s going to make a giant deviled egg tomorrow??

Cooking my own cured herbed pepper bacon after 10 days of curing...

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 11:17:34 -0400

Cooking my own cured herbed pepper bacon after 10 days of curing in salt and spices. Local pastured pork belly plus 10 days of love… Sugar free heaven!!

How can Gourmaleo Make Eating Paleo Easier for You?

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 18:40:28 -0400

Brisket Tacos? Spaghetti Squash with Buffalo Bolognese? Pesto Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potato? BLT Stuffed Chicken with Bacon Roasted Brussel Sprouts? What’s your favorite flavor?

Dallas friends, Gourmaleo is now delivering fresh paleo meals directly to your door. A customized menu by your very own personal chef is approved by you each week, making eating paleo delicious AND convenient.

For pricing information and a sample menu, email info@gourmaleo.com.

Pecan Crusted Chicken Tenders

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 19:55:00 -0400

I had a craving for my standard 7th grade lunch, circa 1993 today: a basket of chicken tenders with a side of mashed potatoes. Surprisingly these nut crusted tenders and a side of cauliflower mash with extra Kerry Gold butter in it did the trick. I posted this recipe a while back using skinless chicken breasts, but the pecans stick really well to smaller pieces of chicken. Kids are going to love this.

Pecan Crusted Chicken Tenders

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

You’ll need:

1 pound chicken tenders

1 cup raw pecans or pecan pieces

3 Tablespoons coconut flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 egg, beaten

1 Tablespoon almond milk

1. In a food processor, pulse the pecans, coconut flour and seasonings until everything is blended and has the consistency of cornmeal.

2 . In a separate bowl, beat the egg and almond milk.

3. Put the pecan mixture in a large bowl.

4. Using one hand to handle the dry ingredients one hand to handle the wet ingredients, first dip each chicken tender in the egg mixture, coating it well.

5. Using your dry hand, coat the chicken tenders in the nut mixture, pressing down on the chicken tender to make the coating stick on both sides.

6. Line the coated chicken on a foil-lined baking sheet.

7. Bake for 12 minutes, flipping the chicken tenders over halfway through

Local Juha Ranch pastured eggs and ground beef, nopales and...

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 15:17:34 -0500

Local Juha Ranch pastured eggs and ground beef, nopales and salsa- I ate this scramble for dinner yesterday and again for lunch today. It’s almost too delicious to be paleo.

Nopales are my new favorite snack! At my local grocery store,...

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 16:05:28 -0500

Nopales are my new favorite snack! At my local grocery store, there’s a woman who stands in the produce department trimming nopales, or the pads of a prickly pear cactus or nopal and selling them in little bags. Traditionally cooked with other vegetables in Mexican cuisine, nopales are also delicious raw as a snack. (The flavor is reminiscent of a sweet green bean.) They’re high in Vitamins A and C, calcium, magnesium, fiber and completely paleo.

So this happened. I started out cooking and delivering fresh...

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 09:52:00 -0500

Fresh paleo meals delivered to your door. Email info@gourmaleo.com for more information, pricing and sample menus.

So this happened. I started out cooking and delivering fresh paleo meals for one client in Dallas. One turned into two. Two turned into five. Five turned into seven… Look for an updated website soon and email info@gourmaleo.com for information on pricing and sample menus.

Are YOU eating well this week? 2013 has been awesome for so...

Sun, 10 Feb 2013 23:23:38 -0500

Are YOU eating well this week? 2013 has been awesome for so many reasons, but one of them is because I started a gourmet, custom, paleo, ready to heat-and-eat meal delivery program for my Dallas locals that has had a great response so far! More details to come. (Send me your email address for a quote!)

Baked Coconut Shrimp

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 21:59:00 -0500

I like to use 26/20 count shrimp in this recipe because it’s perfectly bite size but any size you prefer will work.

Baked Coconut Shrimp

Heat your oven to 400 degrees

You’ll need:

1 dozen raw shrimp, peeled, rinsed and de-veined

1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

1 Tablespoon coconut flour

1 egg

1 Tablespoon almond milk

salt

pepper

1. Spread the coconut on a sheet pan and toast in the oven for about 3 minutes or until it starts to lightly turn brown.

2. Beat the egg and almond milk together with a whisk.

3. Mix the toasted coconut, coconut flour, salt and pepper in a separate bowl.

4. Dip the shrimp in the egg, coating it well

5. After the shrimp is coated in egg, dip it in the coconut, turning it over and patting the coconut on it to coat it well.

6. Line the shrimp on a sheet pan and bake for about 6 minutes until fully cooked.

Pepperoni Stuffed Chicken

Tue, 15 Jan 2013 21:33:31 -0500

I’m a big fan of finding leftover veggies in the fridge, stuffing chicken with them and, eureka! Dinner! The only thing better than that is stuffing meat with more meat. Applegate Farms makes some pretty clean pepperoni (and salami) that’s not loaded with sugar, but use what you like and double check the ingredients.

Pepperoni Stuffed Chicken

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

You’ll need:

3 chicken breasts

1/4 cup Applegate Farms pepperoni, sliced into small pieces

Olive or coconut oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Season both sides of each chicken breast with salt and pepper.

2. With a paring knife, cut a pocket in through the side of the chicken breast. So if you’re right handed, put your left hand on top of the chicken breast and hold the knife in your right hand. Holding the knife parallel to the chicken, cut a pocket along the side of the chicken. Cut as far over to the other side of the chicken as you can without cutting a hole in the other side. You’re trying to make a safe little pocket for the filling to fit in without falling out of the chicken as it cooks.)

3. Stuff the sliced pepperoni into each pocket

4. Heat a pan over medium/high heat. Add 2 Tablespoons of olive or coconut oil and let it get hot. After the oil is hot, put the chicken breasts in the pan.

5. Cook the chicken for 2-3 minutes and, using tongs, flip the chicken over and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

6. Put the chicken on a sheet pan and put in the oven for about 8-10 minutes to finish cooking. It may take a couple of minutes more or less, depending on the size of the chicken breast.

Spent tonight working on the perfect paleo tortilla,...

Wed, 09 Jan 2013 22:12:35 -0500

Spent tonight working on the perfect paleo tortilla, experimenting with tapioca and almond flours. I know Biggie Smalls wasn’t health conscious but I feel like I could call my kitchen skills straight Paleo Gangsta and he’d totally approve.

I’ve had a grass fed local beef heart in my freezer for a...

Tue, 08 Jan 2013 08:49:15 -0500

I’ve had a grass fed local beef heart in my freezer for a while (also known as the “looming beef heart”) that I’m excited yet tentative about cooking it and doing it really well. This is my first beef heart, you know. I found a good instructional video courtesy of Michael Ruhlman, author of The Making of a Chef and The Soul of a Chef on how to fabricate the heart properly. Next step: find a great recipe and invite a few friends over for likely their first heart experience as well. More details to come, I’m sure.

Faking rice: just steam and chop cauliflower. Served underneath...

Tue, 01 Jan 2013 12:57:00 -0500

Faking rice: just steam and chop cauliflower. Served underneath a bowl of stew or curry and it mimics the real thing.

If you took all that energy...

Wed, 05 Dec 2012 21:16:25 -0500

My ladies, if you took all that energy you spend hating your body and used it towards changing your body, the results are limitless.

That is all.

Pumpkin Pancakes

Sat, 01 Dec 2012 09:44:49 -0500

I love fall flavors- baking around the holidays makes me want to put cloves and pumpkin in everything.

Pumpkin Pancakes

You’ll need:

1 ripe banana, mashed

3/4 heaping cup canned pumpkin puree

4 eggs

1 cup almond meal

1 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 cup almond milk

1. Combine the bananas, pumpkin and eggs in a bowl and stir well.

2. Add the remaining ingredients and stir until everything is mixed.

3. In a pre-heated, non-stick skillet over medium/low heat, pour about 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake. Let cook for about 3-4 minutes or until bubbles start to appear and pop. Flip the pancake over and cook for another 3 minutes.

Holiday Baked Pears

Mon, 19 Nov 2012 20:38:00 -0500

These baked pears are a nice change from traditional baked pastries and they’re surprisingly sweet. They can be eaten warm, straight out of the oven, but when you chill them overnight the pears soak up the flavors from the filling and make it even tastier. Plus, they’re super easy to make.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees

Holiday Baked Pears

You’ll need:

2 ripe pears (I used Barlett pears but any kind will work)

2 dates, pitted and diced into small pieces

3 Tablespoons dried cranberries

3 Tablespoons walnuts, chopped

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1/4 teaspoon ginger powder

1 Tablespoon coconut oil

1. Slice the pears in half, lengthwise.

2. Using a spoon or a melon baller, scoop the seeds and core out of the pear.

3. Mix the remaining ingredients in a bowl, making sure everything is coated with coconut oil.

4. Spoon the filling evenly into the little hole in each pear.

5. Put in a glass casserole dish and bake for 30 minutes.