Fun with Cauliflower

A favorite hack in the Paleo community is to make rice using cauliflower. Its white like rice and has a similar texture so it can be an excellent substitute to serve alongside the rest of your grain-free meal. Using a box grater or the grater attachment of your food processor is a simple way to turn cauliflower into a rice lookalike.

Just think of all that you can do with a head of cauliflower. Its sturdy texture gives it enough umph to be turned into a steak. Puree it, add some liquid, and you'd think you had mashed potatoes. Pulse it in the processor and you may notice that it looks more like cous cous than long grain. If we have cous cous, than we can make tabbouleh.

Go grab the grape leaves. This Middle Eastern staple salad, traditionally made with bulgur, is loaded with fresh herbs, citrus, and the wonder-spice za'atar. Za'atar is a blend made with sesame seeds, sumac, salt, and sometimes thyme or basil. In the summer months, try this recipe the more traditional way with tomatoes and cucumbers. In the winter months, go with dried fruits and maybe even (pine) nuts. Try a mixture of dried fruits like apricots, figs, or currants. Preserved lemons would also be a great addition.

Cauliflower Tabbouleh

adapted from Aaron Chambers' recipe

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets

1 small shallot

1 lemon, zested with a microplane and juice

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/4 cup golden raisins, chopped

2 tsp za'atar

5 tblsp olive oil

2 tblsps each chopped cilantro, parsley, mint

Working in batches, pulse the cauliflower florets in a food processor until the consistency of cous cous. Something like this:

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a skillet and cook the shallot and garlic until translucent. Add the cauliflower and cook for several minutes until it has softened and lost its pungent, raw odor. Add more oil, if necessary, to keep it from sticking. Season with salt and pepper.

In a large bowl combine the raisins and lemon zest. Add the cauliflower mixture to the bowl and stir to combine. Fold in the fresh herbs.

In a small bowl whisk the juice of half the lemon, the za'atar, and the remaining olive oil. Pour this over the cauliflower mixture and combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Chill the tabbouleh in the refrigerator for several hours before serving to let the flavors meld. Fluff with a fork and serve alongside fish or lamb.

The Best Brussel Sprouts of Your Life

If your Thanksgiving dinners are anything like the ones in my family, there will be more than one. Getting big families all together can be difficult, so Thanksgiving meals can easily turn into round 2 or even round 3. If there is another round in store for you this holiday weekend, please make these brussel sprouts. I think they will be the best you've ever eaten.

Many in the Paleo community shy away from dairy. Animal dairy was not part of the diet of our hunter-gather ancestors so it should be avoided. This recipe includes dairy but I'm sure it would still be excellent using coconut oil and coconut milk in place of the butter and cream if you prefer. I haven't tried this variation, so let me know how it turns out.

The problem with dairy extends beyond simply lactose, but lies in its content of lectins. Lectins refer to a group of proteins found in grains, legumes, and animal products. Lectins actually occur in all plant and animal foods but to a varying degrees. Grains and legumes appear to be highest in lectin content. Lectins cause problems when consumed in abundance because of their ability to damage the gut lining. This takes place because lectins are not broken down in normal digestion. They are large molecules that can stick to other proteins. The body responds to them in defense—causing an immune response and creating antibodies against them.

There is still a lot to learn about lectins and their affect on our digestive systems. We can't avoid lectins completely in the diet, but we can avoid those that we know are problematic. Wheat germ agglutinin, found in grains, is a well studied lectin with major gut damage potential. Soybean agglutinin is another that has been found to damage the small intestinal lining.

I am not completely opposed to including some dairy in the diet, however. Unless there is a clinical lactose intolerance problem, dairy consumption provides a large amount of healthy saturated fats and is low in inflammatory omega-6 fats. When available, opt for grass-fed butter and raw grass-fed milk. These are rich in conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and antioxidants.

Fermented dairy is also a great option to promote healthy gut ecology. As to be expected, a healthy, balanced gut will make sensitivity to dairy less likely. Look for grass-fed keffir or yogurts that are low in added sugar.

For more details on lectins check out Mark's take at: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/lectins

Brussel Sprouts Braised in Cream

as seen in Molly Stevens' All About Braising

1 lb brussel sprouts, trimmed and halved

3 tablespoons butter

1 cup of heavy cream

juice of half a lemon

4 slices of bacon, chopped

salt and pepper

Cook the bacon then drain on paper towels and set aside. Trim the sprouts by cutting off the bottom stems and removing some of the outer leaves. Cut the sprouts in half or large ones into fourths. In a dutch oven or other heavy lidded pot, melt the butter until foamy. Add the sprouts and cook for several minutes until they are a little browned in places. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the cream. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cover for 20-25 minutes, or until the sprouts are easily pierced with a fork. Add the lemon juice and chopped bacon and stir to combine. Adjust for seasoning and let simmer for another minute or two to allow the sauce to thicken. Bacon can easily be swapped out for walnuts or hazelnuts.

One for the treble. Two for the bass. It's the beet!

My beverage of choice used to be the beetlejuice from the now defunct Juice Box Cafe. A thick, freshly pressed mixture of beets, apples, and carrots. It was a drink that could turn your insides rainbow colors. This alone should be reason to try it.

When I expressed my love of this juice to my mother and insisted she try it, not only did she turn her nose up but also dared to state the obvious.

Beets taste like dirt.

Indeed, beets are... earthy. They taste like dirt, but in a good way. There's that subtle sweetness that cuts through the taste of soil. But its hard not to be mesmerized by their vibrant colors as they stand out among the dull greenery of the produce aisle. Beets, however, can be a force to be reckoned with. Newly manicured? Forget it. Wearing white? Run away from this recipe. Beets will stain your insides but also that fresh linen apron, the back-splash of your white kitchen walls, and your french manicure.

Perhaps this is why the beet is neglected – destined to be canned or pickled in the safety of a stainless steel assembly line. I find those beets tasteless and tame; losing the earthiness that draws me to them in the first place. Its worth getting your hands a little dirty for these gems. If you have a juicer then by all means... Roasting and tossing them as a salad is my go-to method. Choose small beets in red or golden for the best flavor. Or better yet, a combination of the two.

Beet Salad with Orange and Walnuts

1 ½ cups of beets, cut into bite sized pieces

1 orange, segmented with juice reserved

½ cup of walnuts, chopped

2 cups bitter greens, like cress or arugula

1 tsp dijon mustard

1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

salt

pepper

olive oil

crumbled goat cheese (optional)

Preheat the oven to 375. Scrub the beets well in water to remove any dirt. Cut large beets in quarters or smaller ones in half and place in a foil lined pan. Drizzle with olive oil and cover the pan with a top layer of foil. Roast the beets at 375 for 25 minutes or until they are easily pierced with a fork. Roast another 5-10 minutes with the foil removed to caramelize. Let the beets cool slightly, then slip off their skins.

To make the dressing whisk together the reserved orange juice, mustard, and vinegar. Drizzle in some olive oil until you get an emulsion. Season with salt and pepper. (This will make more dressing than you need.)

In a large bowl combine the salad greens, beets, and walnuts. Add a little bit of dressing and toss together with your hands. Add more dressing until the leaves are coated but not soaked. Plate the salads and place the orange segments on top. If you eat dairy, add a crumbled, creamy goat cheese.