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Category Archives: Appetizers

Paleo Chicken Satay Skewers w/ “Peanut” Sauce & Watermelon, Cucumber, & Mint Salad

chicken-satay-peanut-sauce-1I woke up this morning thinking of dinner. Not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing! But I know it’s going to be a beautiful day outside and a perfect night to barbeque on our new BBQ. That thing is awesome! (Thanks Joe’s folks for the move in present!), so I mentally thought of my list for the farmers market today…

Anyhow, we usually BBQ steak or burgers, but I wanted to do some kind of chicken. I remembered this recipe I posted a long time ago for a “peanut” sauce and it is honestly one of the best sauces I have ever made. So what better to go with this sauce then chicken satay skewers! I also have a ton of watermelon in the fridge because I made a paleo watermelon lime sorbet last night (it’s freezing now, but I will post later), so I found a recipe for a watermelon & cucumber salad. So I am pretty excited about meal time. My folks are coming to visit in a few weeks so I always like to make really good dinners for them and I think this may be one!

Ingredients:

Chicken Satay & marinade
* 1/2 can full fat coconut milk
* 1 1/2 tbsp. fresh ginger, grated
* 1 tbsp. minced garlic
* 1 tbsp. curry powder
* 1 tsp. salt
* 2 lbs chicken strips or breasts cut into strips

1. Mix together coconut milk, ginger, garlic, curry powder and salt.
2. Pour on top of chicken strips and make sure everything is coated with the marinade.
3. Cover and refrigerate at least an hour, but the longer you marinade the better!
4. Thread the chicken onto wooden strips (Make sure you soak the strips in water so they don’t burn on the BBQ)
5. Cook for about 10-15 minutes until lightly brown.

“Peanut” Sauce:
* 1/2 cup almond butter
* 1/2 cup apple sauce (Make sure to look for sugar free or organic raw apple sauce. They can be PACKED with sugar)
* 1/2 cup coconut milk
* 1 1/2 tbsp. fresh ginger, grated
* 2 crushed garlic cloves
* 1/2 lime juice
* chili oil if you want a kick!

1. Mix all ingredients together in your food processor until creamy and you are good to go!

Watermelon, Cucumber, Mint Salad:
* 2 cups watermelon, diced
* 1 cucumber, diced or sliced
* 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
*4-5 tbsp. mint, minced
* 3 tbsp. olive oil
* 2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
* salt/pepper to taste

1. Combine all fruit, veggies, and mint together
2. Combine the olive oil and vinegar together and pour on top of salad. Mix together.
3. Garnish with some of the mint. DONE!

Now you have your perfect, healthy, summer BBQ dish and salad.
Props to PaleOMG, Paleo Foodie Kitchen, and myself for the recipes…

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Posted by on July 21, 2013 in Appetizers, Chicken, Dinner, Salad, Sauces

 

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Zucchini sausage pesto rolls

Day 11! Okay, we’ll I kind of cheated on the sugar detox yesterday but it was conscious decision and not a crazy craving. It was this magnificent piece of cheesecake which I only ate half, and I took the smallest little bites so it lasted like an hour. Yum. BUT, my stomach felt like shit and I got a sugar high right before I had to stand up and speak to about 40 people. I totally spazzed out and forgot what I was going to say and reverted to the scared of public speaking Kari from years ago. That sucked. I blame the cheesecake. But whatever, that’s after 11 days no sugar, no fruit.

Okay, on with today’s meal! I made this tonight for dinner and I either should have made a salad, side, or more. These should definitely be used for an appetizer. I saw this on paleOMG today and had to make it.

Ingredients:

  • Zucchini (about 2 or 3)
  • Italian sausages (I got the spicy chicken sausage from Whole Foods)
  • Fresh made pesto sauce

Cut the zucchini’s with a mandolin or about 1/4 inch thick. Spread on pan (or grill would be much better) and drizzle with olive oil and a little salt and pepper. I broiled them until they were tender and a little brown from broiling.

Put the sausages in a frying pan and cook them for about 10 minutes. Flip over when one side is brown and cook the other side.

Make your pesto sauce (basil, olive oil, garlic, a few walnuts)

Take your pesto and spread it on the zucchini strips. Take your sausage and cut it into 1 inch pieces and roll them up with the zucchini strips, pesto facing the sausage. You can put a toothpick in them or just set on the side that was last to be rolled. Enjoy!

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Kale crisps

Well everyone always talks about how great Kale crisps are so since I order the vegi in a box every couple of weeks (www.tarafarms.com) I usually get kale in it and never really know what to do besides throw it in a salad.

This is really easy. And surprisingly good!

Ingredients:

  • Bunch Of Kale
  • Tablespoon of olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Cut the kale into bite size pieces. Make sure to cut out the spine of the kale because I didn’t and when you chomp into one, bitter!

Place on a cookie sheet, mix with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes until nice and crispy. These were actually really good! Note the pictures I couldn’t get one without my BF hand in it!

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Posted by on July 21, 2012 in Appetizers, Sides, Veggies

 

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Stuffed Italian Mushrooms- little mini shroom pizzettes!

These would be an excellent appetizer plate to serve. We just ate them standing up next to the oven. I tried for a sit down, enjoy yourself dinner but these didn’t quite make it to the dinner table.

Super easy and quick and I have a suggestion if you want to make this into more a dinner then an appetizer.

Ingredients:

  • 12 Crimini mushrooms
  • 3/4 lb spicy chicken Italian sausage
  • Organic or low sugar pizza sauce
  • Yup, that’s it!

Take the mushrooms and clean them and take the stem out so your able to stuff the center. Take the chicken sausage and just squeeze it into the center of the mushroom. Bake at 375 for about 18-20 mins. Add the pizza sauce a minute or so before you take them out of the oven. Be careful when you cut into them, they squirt at you!

Another way to make this meal would be to put them in a portobello mushroom. You could even add some black olives, Italian sausage, onions, then pizza sauce and you have your own little portobello pizza!

I just served with a garden salad with whatever veggies I could find in the fridge. With my all time favorite dressing: Olive oil, balsamic, lime juice, salt and pepper. Yum!

Enjoy!

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Posted by on July 17, 2012 in Appetizers, Chicken, Dinner

 

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Dreamy creamy spinach artichoke dip

Honestly this dip should be called Amazeballs Artichoke dip! This is so good. You can make this strict paleo or add a bit of goat cheese at the end to make extra creamy. Which then makes this turn into ‘dreamy creamy’. I got an A+ review from the man, so we know it’s good. I found this recipe on paleoOMG again and I swear if this woman comes up with these off the top of her head she is a friggen food paleo genius.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cans of artichoke hearts 8oz (not in oil, just marinated in water)
  • frozen package of spinach 14oz
  • 1 cup cashews roasted unsalted
  • 2 tbls olive oil
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • Optional 2 oz creamy goat cheese

In a saucepan combine the spinach and artichoke hearts. Cut the artichoke hearts into bits. Sprinkle with spices and salt/pepper. When nice and warm and all mixed up, transfer to a medium serving bowl. Male sure to drain the excess water first.

In a food processor add the cup of cashews and grind until very fine and floury. Add the olive oil and blend in processor until nice and creamy. Here is where you want to add the goat cheese if you want. Blend again and then Add to spinach mixture. You’ll really want to mix and mash this in well until the dip is creamy and delicious looking.

Serve with your favorite veggies!

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Posted by on June 30, 2012 in Appetizers, Sauces

 

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