Paleo Diet Recipes

Spring Tonic Soup

Serves 13-15

2 cup onion, chopped
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups fresh burdock root
1 cup fresh dandelion (leaf & root)
1 cup fresh yellow dock
4 ounces seaweed
2 cups carrot, sliced
6 cups potatoes, cubed
4 quarts water
Salt to taste

Cook onion in oil in soup pot until golden. Add soaked, but not parboiled, burdock root slices. Chop fresh dandelion leaves and roots and add. Chop fresh leaves and roots of yellow dock (Rumex crispus) and add. Add all remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook covered at least an hour.

We thank Healing Wise by Susun S. Weed for this recipe.

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Roasted Dandelion Root Tea

Dig up and carefully clean some dandelion roots. If picked late in the spring, you may want to remove some of the root hairs. I usually cut off the tops in the field. Wash the roots thoroughly either in a bucket filled with water and physically agitate the roots with your hands, or take a hose and spray off the dirt. Clean until the water runs clear. Then take a knife and cut the roots into chunks. Wash one more time.

Put 2 cups of chunky roots into your food processor and chop until coarse. Put these into a separate bowl and process the rest 2 cups at a time until finished.

Spread the roots onto cookie sheets to a depth of 1/2 inch. Place in oven set at 250 degrees. Leave the door slightly ajar so that excess moisture can escape. Drying and roasting the roots takes about 2 hours. When dried they change from a yellowish color to a dark coffee color. Stir frequently with a spatula to assure even drying and roasting. Rotate sheets. Watch carefully during the last minutes so they do not burn. Cool and then store in glass jars. I grind my roasted chips in a coffee grinder used for herbs.

For tea, use 2 tablespoons dandelion root powder per 12 ounces water in a French press or place in saucepan with water and steep as an infusion.

Adapted from rosesprodigalgarden.org/recipes/dandelionrecipes.html.

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About Rosemary

Like many herbs, rosemary is steeped in myth. The name derives from Latin for “dew” (ros) and “sea” (marinus), because in many locations, it needs no water other than the humidity carried by sea breezes. In Greek mythology, it was draped around the Greek goddess Aphrodite when she rose from the sea. The Virgin Mary is said to have spread her blue cloak over a white-blossomed rosemary bush when she was resting, and the flowers turned blue. The shrub then became known as the ‘Rose of Mary.’

Rosemary contains rosmarinic acid, a powerful antioxidant known for its anti‐inflammatory, anti-allergic, anti‐fungal and antiseptic properties, as well as vitamins C, A, B‐complex, and many minerals. It tastes great with roast pork, lamb and chicken. Add it to a marinade with garlic and lemon juice. Soak fresh rosemary in olive oil or vinegar to infuse them, or soak it in milk or cream and use in desserts. Add it chopped to soups, salads, and pasta, or mix it with garlic and butter for a flavorful garlic bread. When Farmer Nash makes ground pork burgers, he will
always add chopped fresh rosemary at about 1 tablespoon
per pound of pork. Delicious!

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Using Fresh Dill

dill, bunched

What’s your favorite use for dill? Let us know in the comments below!

Looking for dill-flavored inspiration? Here are several fantastic uses for dill that you might not have thought of.

  • Add sparkle to a tuna sandwich.
  • Enhance a cold gazpacho soup.
  • Mix 1/4 cup fresh dill with 1/4 cup vinegar, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add 2 sliced cucumbers, 1 cup sliced red onion, and 2 cut-up tomatoes. Toss, and let stand at least 15 minutes before serving.
  • Got a favorite pureed carrot soup recipe? Be sure to garnish it with some delicate dill fronds for a treat that’s not only tasty, but visually appealing.
  • Dill with salmon is a marriage made in heaven. Add finely chopped garlic, too!
  • Add to Greek green salads, with romaine, sliced scallions and crumbled feta.
  • Make your own sourdough bread? Throw in some olives and dill.
  • Chop 1/2 cup dill fine and mix with 2-3 tablespoons butter, salt, and pepper.
  • For an incredible roasted chicken, use a spoon to get dill under the skin of the breasts, thighs, and legs, and massage it around the meat. Stuff some into the cavity of the chicken with lemon slices and garlic.
  • Add to potato soup, or potato salad with lemon and green onion.
  • Add to cole slaw, omelets, lentil dahl, or borscht.
  • Make dill sauce with plain yogurt, mayo, sour cream, garlic, lemon, and salt and pepper.

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What to Do with Garlic Scapes

Garlic scapes

Curlicues of bunched garlic scapes look whimsical, but scapes are seriously tasty.

Do you love garlic but have run out of last season’s garlic cloves? Not to worry—garlic scapes are here! Scapes are the tall flowering stalk of the garlic plant. They have a mild garlic flavor and can be used to add garlicky goodness to so many dishes. Here are several tasty suggestions.

Garlic Scape Pesto—Blend with pine nuts, Parmesan, olive oil, lemon, and salt and pepper. Add basil, if you want.

Grilled or Roasted—Toss with olive oil and salt and pepper, and grill for 2 minutes on each side.

Hummus—Swap scapes for garlic cloves. Great in a lemony, tahini-free hummus.

Compound Butter—Add some lemon and fresh thyme.

Pizza—Delicious on a white grilled pizza with caramelized onions.

Stir-fry—They lose some bite when sautéed, so use 3-4 times as much.

Salads—Blanch them first, like you would green beans.

Soup—Add to soup towards the end to get the best flavor from the scapes.

Pickled—Add to your favorite pickle recipe, or just pickle the scapes themselves in vinegar, salt and dill.

Sautéed—Great with shrimp.

Quesadillas—Grill them first and add lots of cheese!

Omelets—Add cut-up scapes, arugula and a little basil along with cheese.

Pork Burgers—Mix with Nash’s Italian sausage or ground pork, and a little rosemary. OMG!!

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Strawberry Ideas

Strawberries in pints 2014

Strawberries are here, strawberries are here! Hurry and make as many delicious strawberry dishes as you can before they’re gone!

Salads—Great with spinach.

Smoothies—with yogurt, milk, juice, bananas and oranges.

Syrup—Boil in a little water, allow to cool, and use on Nash’s buckwheat pancakes, or on ice cream. Add a little chopped basil for a taste explosion!

Desserts—Dip in melted chocolate; add to a fruit pie; slice and put on vanilla ice cream, drizzle with high-quality Balsamic vinegar, garnish with mint.

Butter—Chop fine and add to softened butter with a little pepper.

Popsicles—Crush into chunky liquid, mix with a little sugar, put into popsicle forms and freeze. Kids love ‘em!

Ice Cubes—Put one strawberry into each ice cube section of an ice tray, freeze and put in lemonade, wine coolers, etc.

Trail Mix—Dry in a food dehydrator and mix with nuts, raisins, etc.

Soup—Blend 3 cups strawberries, 1 cup plain yogurt, 1/2 cup Reisling, and 1/3 cup sugar. Chill and drizzle with olive oil and a dash pepper.

Salsa—Chop and mix strawberries, chives, cilantro, dried cranberries, and avocado. Mix with red pepper jelly, lime juice and a little dried crushed red pepper.

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Qorma (Afghan Spinach Dish)

Bunched spinach

Our first spinach harvest of the season is here! Spotlight these crisp and tender greens in this spinach-centered side dish.

3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup green onions (white and green parts), chopped
2 pounds fresh spinach, chopped
2 tablespoons water
1/2 tablespoon dried dill
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice

In a large, deep pan heat the oil over medium-high and sauté the onions until tender, about 3 minutes. Add spinach and cook covered on medium heat, stirring regularly until wilted, about 3-4 minutes. Add a few tablespoons of water to pan and remaining ingredients except lemon juice.

Stir thoroughly and cook for 5-10 more minutes until the liquid has decreased, keeping an eye on the pot so it doesn’t dry out. If you’re going for satiny smooth, add more water or stock and continue to cook for an additional 5-10 minutes. Otherwise, season to taste with salt, pepper and lemon juice.

Serve as a side or over rice.

We thank Full Circle Farms for this recipe.

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Pickled Mixed Vegetables

Makes 5-6 quarts

1 large head cauliflower
4 ribs celery
1 dozen small pickling cucumbers
8 small carrots
1 medium green bell pepper
1 medium red bell pepper
8 small pearl onions
16 cloves garlic
1 pound green beans
10 cup vinegar
6 cup water
1 cup salt
2 teaspoons celery seed
4 teaspoons dill seed
4 teaspoons mustard seed

Sterilize jars. Break cauliflower into small florets; cook in boiling water 5 minutes; drain. Cut remaining vegetables into bite-sized pieces and mix in a big bowl. Mix the vinegar, water, salt, celery, dill and mustard seed to make brine and heat over medium. Pack hot jars with random vegetables, bring brine to a boil and fill to 1/2” head space. Follow the USDA recommendation for processing pickled mixed vegetables.

We thank Stocking Up for this recipe.

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Grilled Leeks

leeks

Grilling season is here! Try grilling your leeks, maybe with other assorted veggies or some Nash’s pork burgers.

12 medium leeks, trimmed to about 7 inches, split length-wise to within 1 1/2 inches of the root end
Olive oil for grilling

Vinaigrette
4 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard
3 tablespoons white-wine vinegar
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup minced assorted fresh basil

Tie the leeks in 4 bundles with kitchen string, and place in a kettle of boiling salted water. Boil them for 6 minutes, or until they are just tender, and drain them in a colander. Refresh the leeks under cold water and discard the strings.  Brush the leeks with the oil and grill them on an oiled rack set, 5 minutes on each side, or until they are golden.
Transfer the leeks as they are grilled to a platter and keep warm. In a separate bowl combine all the vinaigrette ingredients and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the leeks.

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Cauliflower Tortillas

A creative and tasty way to enjoy gluten free tortillas.

A creative and tasty way to enjoy gluten free tortillas.

1 medium head cauliflower, cut up and stem removed
2 eggs
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375° F and line a baking tray with parchment paper. In a food processor, rice the cauliflower by pulsing until you get a texture slightly finer than rice. Measure to make sure you have 2 cups, packed.

Place riced cauliflower in bowl and microwave for 2 minutes. Stir, then microwave for another two minutes and stir again. Place in a dish towel and squeeze excess water out as hard as you can. (Get as much water out as you can, but be careful not to burn yourself.) Place drained cauliflower back in the bowl and add eggs, salt and pepper and mix until well combined. It will be a little bit runny but not pure liquid either.

Spread the mixture onto a baking sheet into 6 small fairly flat circles. Place in the oven for 10 minutes, then remove and carefully peel them off the parchment, flip them, and place back in the oven for 5-7 more minutes.

Once they’re done, place them on a wire rack to cool slightly. Heat a pan over medium heat and place the tortillas into the pan pressing down to make them crispy on the edges with a nutty taste.

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