health « Nutty Kitchen

Bolitas de Platano Maduro con Tocino (Plantian Balls)

08/02/2011 10 Comments

Oh my Goodness…those are the words that describe these amazing little guys. I came home from the gym the other night and the house smelled incredible, different, but yet familiar. I smelled Colombian food, but really could not place it. You will have to make this to really get the flavors to explode.

Henry had developed a new side dish, which has made it into the top ranks of my favorites immediately.

You will need the following for 1 serving, approximately 4 balls:

1 ripe (golden yellow) plantain
1 thick slice of bacon
1 garlic clove
a small wedge of Mitika goat cheese, chop into small bits, as the bacon and garlic
a little sea salt and fresh cracked pepper

Chop garlic and bacon into very small bits, and brown in an iron skillet; fish the bacon and garlic out, leaving the bacon grease. In a mixing bowl mash the plantain with a potato masher. Don’t use a handheld mixer as the plantain will get too soft. Fold the bacon, garlic and cheese into the mashed plantain.

Grease small cupcake molds with some of the left over bacon grease and convection bake them on 400 degrees F for 20 minutes, or until you see them getting really golden brown with a little bit of crust.

This side dish is awesome for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Thanks Henry for another great dish.

Filed under Hors D'Oeuvre, Primal, Recipe, Side Dish Tagged with Black pepper, coconut milk, Cooking, gluten-free, goat cheese, HDL cholesterol, health, Nutrition, Recipe, super-food

Recipe Index

07/25/2011 1 Comment

Hello Nutty Kitchen fans and friends!

We’ve been sharing and serving up tasty dishes for well over a year now, and have been meaning to make things a lot easier for you to find. Many of you have provided us with amazing comments and suggestions we thank you for that. Please keep your comments and suggestions coming, we are always looking for feedback, experiences, and new twists to foods.

We’ve indexed a couple hundred recipes for you in 13 categories. Please let us know what you think of our index. If you come across a recipe that is not indexed correctly, please let us know right away. In the meantime, please check it out and let us know how we can continue to improve our site for you.

We invite you to enjoy our indexed recipes at RECIPES.

Our very best, always! Jo and Henry

Here’s to exploring delicious and fun dishes.

Filed under Breakfast, Condiment, Desserts, Entree, Food Wisdom, Health & Fitness, Hors D'Oeuvre, Paleo, Perfect Health Diet, Primal, Recipe, Salads, Side Dish Tagged with Cooking, gluten-free, HDL cholesterol, health, LDL cholesterol, natural oils, Nutrition, Recipe, World Cuisines

Fresh Mint and Greek Yogurt Sauce

07/11/2011 3 Comments

We were considering posting this sauce as part of our lamb chops this weekend, but then we made some amazing salmon on the grill. Henry has mastered how to cook salmon so that it is perfectly crispy on the outside and moist and perfectly cooked on the inside. This sauce, amazingly, is almost more delicious with the salmon than the lamb…You Decide please let us know.

Ingredients:

1 bunch of fresh mint
2 limes (juice only)
5 garlic cloves
Sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste
1 cup of greek full fat yogurt (we used Fage)

How to make this super tasty sauce:

So so simple, mix it all together in a bullet or a blender and chill. It is amazing fresh, but is even better the next day.

We’d love to hear what you think of Henry’s latest creation. Jo and Henry

Filed under Condiment, Perfect Health Diet, Primal, Recipe Tagged with Black pepper, Cooking, gluten-free, HDL cholesterol, health, herbs, LDL cholesterol, Mentha, Recipe, Salmon, Sauce, sauces

Beet and Turkish Goat Cheese with Guava Dressing

06/13/2011 Leave a comment

This latest creation is simply delightful and fabulous. We shared one large beet between us in this salad.

Here is the fantastic line up of ingredients:

1 large “organic” beet, boiled and peeled
2 – 3 fresh guava fruit
1 fresh red chili pepper
1 pinch of Himalayan Pink sea salt
1 pinch of fresh black cracked pepper
1/2 small pear
2 tsps extra virgin olive oil
a few cilantro leaves
4 thick smaller slices of goat cheese, we used a Turkish style

Slice the boiled beet in half and then equally cut slices and arrange with tip out on a pretty plate. The idea is to give it a Kaleidoscope or flowery look. Place one of the cheese squares into the center of the four beet slices. Drizzle with a little olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and add a few slices of chili pepper. Place shaved pear over the cheese and sprinkle with fresh cilantro leaves.

Blend guava fruit we used our little bullet, but you can also use a small Ninja, to pulp the fruit. Add a tiny amount of water, and a small amount of lime juice. Blend well, then pour pulp into a fine strainer, push through with a spoon so to make sure that you get all the lovely fruit. Drizzle over your salad, and finish it off with some fresh cracked pepper.

We’d love to hear your feedback, we absolutely loved this salad.

Filed under Paleo, Perfect Health Diet, Primal, Recipe, Salads Tagged with antioxidants, Beet, Black pepper, Cook, Cooking, gluten-free, goat cheese, Guava, HDL cholesterol, health, LDL cholesterol, natural oils, Nutrition, olive oil, Recipe, Salad

Nutty Kitchen is on Vacation

05/04/2011 3 Comments

So much has happened for us, Jo took a new job, family was visiting, clients, … and then a planned vacation to her home country in Austria for her dad’s 70th birthday among other family things. Upon arrival and for her dad’s birthday, we had grass fed steaks, various salads, and great wines from the Wachau region in which her parents live. It’s been amazing ever since.

One of the most famous things to do in the Wachau is to visit a “good” Heuriger where you can get the most amazing home made meats, cheeses and wines for very little money. One of our family favorites is Heuriger Denk, but there are many others that hang out their Guild with a braided sign to signal that they are open for business and are delicious and fun. A Heuriger is only open for 2 – 4 months at a time, serving only their best – the servers are clothed in traditonal Wachau Dirndl, everything meaning the check is calculated by hand and folks are very friendly. If you ever make it out to Austria, this is a must see.

Let us share a line up of plates for a traditional Heuriger’s line up in order:

Tomato salad with vinegar and olive oil and some green onions – little salt, little pepper
Amazing “low-sodium” prociutto, from local/their own pigs with some fresh grated horseradish root from the garden
The creamiest of Emmenthaler cheese with typically red bell pepper garnish
Homemade beef tongue, sliced ever so thin – delicious!
Kuemmelbraten – pork belly broiled with caraway seeds on top and sliced very thin and served cold
Wild Boar liver pate with yogurt fresh chive sauce

We’ll keep you posted as we make our way through these next couple of weeks. Have fun, live well and appreciate life.

Our best – Jo and Henry

Filed under Paleo, Primal, Recipe, Salads, Side Dish Tagged with Austria, Cooking, dairy-free, Food, HDL cholesterol, health, Home, LDL cholesterol, Meat, Recipe, Salad, Shopping

Rockfish Ceviche

04/18/2011 4 Comments

We went on this awesome hike early this morning, Tom’s Thumb, took another “new” way down, was not a good idea in hindsight; we took Gardener’s Wall down. Oh boy…LOL

We were hungry, but wanted something light and fabulous, because it is getting hot out, so Henry whipped up some amazing ceviche. Check it out below. We made some fantastic guacamole which we will share shortly, along with some regular/small taro chips, which we’ll share as well. Henry you are amazing. In the meantime don’t forget to check out our big taro root chips.

This makes about 4 servings

2 lbs Rockfish, we got ours from Justin at Alaskan Pride Seafoods – fantastic fish, all line caught, and they ship to you;
1 Large Green Pepper, finely chopped
1 Large Yellow Onion, finely chopped
1/2 a bunch of Cilantro, (thank you Nancy Cahill, for your amazing garden grown ) most of it finely chopped, garnish with a Tbsp chopped
4 Spicy Peppers (we used Serrano’s)
15 small limes
Salt and Crushed Black Pepper to taste
2 Tbsp Olive Oil

Here’s how:

Cut fish into equal 1/4 inch or so bite size pieces and place in large glass bowl
Squeeze fresh lime juice onto fish
Add Onions, Peppers, and Cilantro and mix well with fish and lime
Place bowl in refrigerator for at least 45 minutes
Serve on large plate and add Olive Oil, Cracked Pepper, and Salt to taste

Just Enjoy!

Filed under Entree, Paleo, Primal, Recipe, Salads, Side Dish Tagged with Bell pepper, Ceviche, Cilantro, Cooking, dairy-free, HDL cholesterol, health, LDL cholesterol, Lime juice, natural oils, Nutrition, olive oil, seafood

Coconut Frog Legs

04/04/2011 1 Comment

This is one of our favorite things to eat. The meat is very tender and tastes a little like Halibut cheeks meets super tender chicken. We purchase ours from a local Asian market as they otherwise sometimes difficult to find. The frog meat is very lean and will work well with more complex side dishes if you so choose.

Our recipe yields 18 pair…yummmm!

What will you need?

several packages of frog legs, you’ll have to thaw them out as they are most likely frozen
plenty of coconut oil
some sea salt
2 eggs
plenty of coconut flour (at least 1 cup, depending how many you’re making)
1 cup of coconut flakes
1 pinch of cayenne pepper
1 sprinkle of chili powder
1 pinch of fresh black pepper

Here’s how to make them:

Mix coconut flour, black pepper cayenne, chili powder and sea salt – set aside for battering.

Dry the frog legs off with paper towels, quickly dip into fork whipped egg, and roll legs into the coconut batter mixture, dip them into the egg once more and roll into the coconut flakes. Pat gently before placing them into the hot coconut oil.

Heat your favorite pan, we used our cast iron skillet, and put enough coconut oil in so that the legs are 1/4 covered – make sure that you heat pan to get very hot, then reduce heat to medium heat. Place your frog legs into the hot oil carefully, until they are golden brown, 3 – 5 minutes on each side should do it.

Place onto paper towels and serve with your favorite side dish. We’d love to hear from you when you make yours. Enjoy! Jo n Henry

Filed under Entree, Paleo, Primal, Recipe Tagged with Black pepper, Coconut, coconut oil, dairy-free, Frog legs, gluten-free, health, LDL cholesterol, natural oils, Nutrition, Recipe

Happy Birthday Henry!

03/29/2011 Leave a comment

Henry with our little nephew Gabriel

It was a big week last week, among many things, most importantly it was Henry’s 40th birthday. He has never looked better, since we have switched to a Primal/Paleo way of life about 2 years ago. He has gotten so much stronger, his workouts are amazing – thanks to many including Robb Wolf, Martin Berkhan, and our amazing friend Zach Kepes.

My parents were still here with us to help celebrate, and his brother, sister-in-law and our sweet 5 month old nephew drove in to see us too. We had a wonderful group of people share in Henry’s festivities, among them two wonderful people who brought their AMAZING homemade beef jerky, thanks so much Amy and Angelo of Latest In Paleo, you are amazing!

We had so much stuff to do, so we decided to make food that we could prepare before the arrival of Henry’s guests. So here is what we served:

Juicy Roasted Pork Shoulder

Delicious Cubed Pork in Sauerkraut

Cevapi, we added veal this time

Persian Cucumber Salad

Some delicious and refreshing Tabouleh, fresh strawberries, black berries and a few other amazing things.

My dad cooking cevapi

I made him some Paleo Carrot Cake with fresh whipped raw cream, BUT forgot to take a picture. I will be making that soon again and share the recipe with you.

Filed under Entree, Paleo, Primal, Recipe, Salads, Side Dish Tagged with coconut oil, Cooking, dairy-free, gluten-free, HDL cholesterol, health, Recipe, Shopping

Baked Taro Chips

03/21/2011 13 Comments

Behold the Baked Taro Chips!

We make these anytime we want some sturdy dipping chips. These are awesome to make ahead of time for guacamole, salsa or a great yogurt dip. They are hardy and very tasty, easy to make and a must try.

Taro root is a great alternative to potato chips but must be cooked properly to avoid toxicity!

Ingredients

1 Large Taro Root
2 Tbsp Coconut Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

How to make these amazingly tasty and easy treats:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees (we heat ours to 400 convection)
Remove outer peel from Taro Root, we used a vegetable peeler
Use a mandolin to cut into thin uniform slices
Warm Coconut Oil in Microwave or with warm water and brush chips with Coconut Oil
Sprinkle with Salt and Pepper
Place sliced taro on oven racks or sheets and rotate the baking sheets in position to make sure that all chips cook evenly.
Bake for 20 minutes per side, check often to make sure you don’t burn them!

Thanks Amy for the awesome Lucky Bamboo; it’s very happy in the Nutty Kitchen.

Filed under Condiment, Hors D'Oeuvre, Paleo, Primal, Recipe, Side Dish Tagged with Baking, Coconut, coconut oil, Cooking, gluten-free, HDL cholesterol, health, LDL cholesterol, Nutrition, Taro, vegetables, Vegetarian

Rosemary-Lemon Yogurt Sauce

03/16/2011 Leave a comment

Ahhh, it getting so nice and warm here in Arizona, and we’ve fired up our BBQ already. We just picked up a whole lamb, but processed and packaged into perfect pieces by Kenny and Brenna Aschbacher of the Fish Hugger. Fabulous lamb guys! Try this delicious sauce with grilled lamb chops and on top of a bed of our kale salad.

What’s in the sauce you ask?

1 cup of full fat Greek yogurt
1/2 of a large and super juicy lemon
a pinch of sea salt
a bit of fresh ground black pepper
2 cloves of garlic
1 small fresh Thai chili
3 fresh stems of your favorite Rosemary, leaves only

We love our Magic Bullet for quick chopping…so combine all ingredients, except for the lemon juice, and add into the bullet, and chop in the smallest container until everything is totally ultra finely chopped. Now stir into the yogurt along with lemon juice and mix very well. Adjust pepper and salt to taste and chill for an hour before serving.

Yumm…it’s awesome, but we still love our Chimichurri!