New Faves
I've been working my way through my two newest paleo cookbooks (Paleo Comfort Foods and Everyday Paleo) one dinner at a time. This past week's experiments yielded two new favorite dinners that I'll be adding to our "rotation" (which still includes 'Taco Night,' for those of you who were wondering). Last Wednesday I made Sawmill Gravy and Biscuits from Paleo Comfort Foods and then later in the week made a delicious Chicken with Mushroom Sauce from the same book. Whether or not a dinner is a "hit" in our family rests solely upon the reaction of my husband: he loved the biscuits and gravy and called the mushroom topped chicken "One of the best dinners I've ever made."
Biscuit topped with Sawmill Gravy
Sawmill Gravy (from Paleo Comfort Foods)
1 lb. ground pork sausage 2 tbs almond flour 1 can coconut milk 2 tsp. sage 1 tsp. paprika 1/2 cup chicken stock (if needed)*I did not end up needing it.
1. sauté sausage in a large skillet until completely cooked. Remove sausage form pan, saving the drippings in the pan. 2. add the almond flour to the skillet and whisk the sausage drippings over medium-low heat, until a paste is formed. Scrape the skillet as you go to work in browned sausage bits. 3. Pour in about a 1/4 cup of the coconut milk. Add sage, paprika. Turn up to medium heat and continue scraping the skillet as you stir the mixture. 4. Add remaining coconut milk, stiffing as you go and bring to a simmer. Add sausage back in and simmer until the gravy thickens to desired thickness. (If it gets too thick you can add the chicken stock to thin out again.) 5. Pour over biscuits.
Basic Biscuits (from Paleo Comfort Foods)
6 large egg whites* 1/4 cup coconut flour 3/4 cup blanched almond flour 1 tsp. baking powder 2 tbs. grass-fed butter or coconut oil dash of salt
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 2. In a bowl, whisk the egg whites until they are very frothy 3. in a separate bowl, mix the two flours and baking powder and then with fork, cut in the cold butter and add salt. Make a crumbly mixture. Let this sit in the fridge for 15-20 minutes. 4. Remove from fridge and gently fold in egg whites to crumbled mixture, stirring to mix. 5. Spoon mixture onto greased baking sheet. (Makes about 6 large biscuits.) Bake 12-15 minutes until golden brown.
* I saved the egg yolks and ended up scrambling them with some steamed spinach and sautéed onions for a side to serve with the gravy and biscuits.
Golden brown biscuits have a delicious nutty taste and smooth texture.
Chicken Breast with Mushroom Sauce (from Paleo Comfort Foods)
1 1/2 lbs of chicken breast (or you could use pork chops) 1/2 cup almond flour 1 tsp. tarragon 1 tsp. onion powder 1 tsp. garlic powder 1 tsp. paprika 1 tsp. black pepper 1 tbs. olive oil
2 tbs. butter 2 clove garlic, minced 1 cup shiitake mushrooms, sliced 1/4 cup dry sherry 3/4 cup chicken stock 2 tbs. fresh chives, chopped
1. Preheat oven 375 degrees. 2. If chicken is thicker than 3/4 inch pound down with meat mallet. 3. On a large plate, combine almond flour with spices. Dredge chicken breasts in the seasoned flour. 4. Preheat a large skillet over medium-heat. Add olive oil and once oil is slightly smoking place chicken breast in the skillet. Sear 4-5 minutes per side, until golden brown. Remove chicken and place in a baking dish. Place in oven and bake for 12-15 minutes depending on the thickness of the chicken. 5. Reduce skillet heat to medium. Add butter to skillet, scraping up the browned bits from the chicken. Stir in the garlic and sauté until fragrant, stir in the mushrooms. Sauté for 1-2 minutes, then add in sherry and chicken stock. Let simmer until reduced slightly and mushrooms are cooked. Add chives, just before serving. 6. Serve mushroom sauce over chicken.
The mushrooms sauce is very versatile and would be delicious served over and cut of grilled beef. Just substitute beef stock for chicken stock.
I served creamed spinach and mashed cauliflower along side the mushroom-topped-chicken. I'll share those recipes later this week. They make great sides for any meat dish.
And in case your in the grocery store hunting around for things like coconut flour and almond flour, or dry sherry here's a picture of some of the ingredients (so you know what you're looking for).
A few ingredients to look for next time you hit the grocery store.
Happy eating!
-Sarah