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Posted on September 8, 2020 by The Divine Kitchen

Cheese Burger Casserole (Gluten-Free, Keto-friendly!)

Today is exactly one month until my birthday! I  can’t believe it’s already September. Time feels like it’s stopped but is also moving at warp speed.

I CANNOT WAIT! To start making pumpkin everything. This fall looks a little different, where I’m not drowning in new sweaters and drinking Punkin Ale. While both are tradition, I haven’t worn anything but leggings in 6 months… and I am going the low-carb route to reset my metabolism and blood sugar. Perhaps a little bit of calorie cutting…. I still have to fit into my sweaters from last year.

So, the interesting thing about low carbs is all the hype about how cool and effective the Ketogenic diet is, and how you just lose weight super fast and it’s sooo great! Well, maybe… but also, no. A bit of science on how this works:

Most of us know what macronutrients, or macros are. These are carbohydrates, fat, and protein. When you eat, your body will seek to burn carbohydrates first from foods, and then fat and protein. Without the go-to of carbohydrates for energy, your body will burn fat instead…. This metabolic state is called ketosis. With your macros, a typical ketogenic ratio is 5:20:75 – carbs, protein, and fat %. This helps maintain that state, and can contribute to fat loss.

It’s a lot of hard work to count macros so specifically, but with an increase in energy, mental  clarity, reduced bloating and potential weight loss, it’s rewarding!

So having said that… what do you cook?

…..a Hamburger. Sort of.

Enjoy this recipe and just picture a Big Mac. You can do it. Just close your eyes. It sort of works.

Cheese Burger Casserole (Gluten-Free, Keto-friendly!)

Prep time: 15 min

Cook time 45 min total

Serves 4-5

Ingredients

    1 lb lean ground beef (I used 90/10)

    1 medium zucchini, grated (pro tip: I shredded mine first thing in the morning and let it sit on a paper towel/plate to dry out all day until I cooked it. Less water = better casserole!)

    ½ medium sized yellow onion, diced

    1 small tomato, diced

    1 heaping tbsp Grey Poupon Dijon

    1 tsp paleo-friendly Worcestershire sauce

    1 tbsp vegan or paleo-friendly mayonnaise

    ½ tsp sea salt, plus more to taste

    pepper, to taste

    1 tsp hot sauce of your choice

    ½ cup shredded cheddar/Colby mixture, plus a pinch more for the top

Directions

  1. In a large frying pan, add your onion and preferred cooking fat. Sauté until translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Add your ground beef, breaking up into small pieces. Sauté until browned, about 10-15 minutes. You may want to drain the liquid and fat from the pan if any collects – I use a turkey baster and remove it.

  1. Once cooked, remove the ground beef from your pan and add to a large mixing bowl. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

  1. Next, add your zucchini, cheese, tomato, Dijon, mayo, hot sauce and sea salt to the mixing bowl. Mix together thoroughly, tasting and adding any additional salt or pepper.

  1. In a greased pyrex dish (I used a 9X9in – it all fit perfectly!), pour your mixture into it, ensuring an even layer. Sprinkle your remaining cheese over the top.

  1. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until bubbling, and cheese has melted. Enjoy!

-S

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Posted on August 31, 2020 by The Divine Kitchen

Oven-Baked Salmon with Garlic Chili Lime Butter (Paleo, Keto-friendly!)

So, I had big plans to post something totally different. Then, I thawed something else and decided to cook it, and it turned out so nice I have to post it.

I’m trying to get in all of my seafood ideas before the weather turns – that way, I can start to cook pumpkin, squash, pumpkin squash, more pumpkin, fall, squash. It’s that time of year and I am jones-in’ for some fall.

I don’t have a lot else to say about this, so I may as well get right to it. This recipe is paleo and keto friendly, and it’s literally one of the easiest salmon recipes I’ve made in a long time.

 

Oven-Baked Salmon with Garlic Chili Lime Butter (Paleo, Keto-friendly!)

 

Prep time: 10 min

Cook time: 15 min

Serves 2

 

Ingredients

  • 2 4oz boneless salmon filets, skin removed
  • 1 clove of garlic, grated or pressed
  • 2 tbsp organic, grass-fed butter, or ghee
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tbsp lime juice (about ½ of a lime)
  • sea salt, to taste
  • 1 tbsp fresh chives, for garnish

 

Directions

  1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil. If available, place a baking rack overtop your baking sheet, greasing it so that salmon won’t stick. The baking rack will allow the bottom of the salmon filets to remain crisp, but it isn’t required – just preferred.
  2. In a mug, or in a small stovetop saucepan, melt your butter. Mix together with your garlic, chili powder, lime juice and sea salt.
  3. Place your filets on your baking rack/sheet. Spoon your butter mix evenly over your salmon filets, coating the salmon filets entirely.
  4. Bake until salmon is opaque and starting to brown, about 15-20 minutes.
  5. Remove from heat, and garnish with chives. Serve, and enjoy!

 

-S

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Posted on August 26, 2020 by The Divine Kitchen

Zesty Mac and Cheese (Vegan AND PALEO!)

So…. Let’s talk about fall. Let’s talk about….. how I have a closet full of sweaters, I’ve done really well and haven’t bought any new ones (because where the hell am I going, let’s be totally honest), but am bummed because normally I get to go to wineries, fun parties…. Who am I kidding, WORK is my fashion show. Even still, the little things I miss the most have gotten to me a bit… down.

So, I eat my feelings. Working on that…. But for now, we eat.

I’ve been trying to eat a lot less meat in general, and with that – I figure, why not reduce animal stuff altogether? It isn’t actually difficult once you know some basic swaps – vegetable broth for chicken broth, vegan mayo for regular, dairy-free milks (cashew, almond and oat for ones without flavor!)… even if you’re not looking to go “vegan” per se, I find that these little swaps are great ways to cut down cholesterol, sodium or calories in general, if you need to. That, and I have several friends that have dietary restrictions, so I love a challenge.

I was familiar with butternut squash as a sauce, but this was kind of a “winging it” type of thing. Some of these ingredients aren’t normal things one has in their kitchen, but they’re worth buying, and at least in my area, can be found pretty easily. If you have an immersion blender or regular blender, you’ll need it for tonight.

Please note… as good as this is, I realize that some of my friends reading this just want the real thing. Just shoot me an email if you want a real Pennsyl-tucky dairy filled Mac-and-cheese recipe…., my mama makes a mean recipe I also happen to know how to make…. 😉

Yum!

 

Zesty Mac and Cheese (Vegan with PALEO option!)

 

Prep time: 10 min

Cook time: 45 min

Serves 2-3

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups paleo-friendly noodles, like Jovial Cassava noodles
  • 2 cups of cubed butternut squash, fresh or frozen
  • 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 2 tbsp vegan sour cream (I love this brand, search the link where to find it – omit if strict paleo!)
  • 1 small yellow onion, diced
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp paprika
  • ½ tsp chili powder
  • 1 heaping tbsp cumin
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • Sprinkle of pepper to taste
  • 2 tbsp vegan butter, or ghee
  • ½ cup of vegetable broth, plus more if needed for texture

optional – breadcrumbs:

  • 2 tbsp almond flour (if not paleo, panko breadcrumbs can be used)
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • sprinkle of sea salt
  • 1 tsp of parsley

 

Directions

  1. In a sauce pan, add a tbsp of your preferred cooking fat, your onion and squash. Sauté your onion and butternut squash until soft, about 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cover with a lid to ensure steam stays in to soften them faster.
  2. Once soft, add your vegetable broth. Continue to simmer for another 2-3 minutes, adding some salt and pepper. Now, add your paprika, garlic, cumin and chili powder.
  3. At this step, you can either use your immersion blender to puree until smooth, or place into a blender and puree until smooth. The texture should be somewhat thick like cheese sauce and soupy, but not thick like veggies or thin like soup. Add vegetable broth accordingly to adjust texture. Set sauce aside so that the flavors can meld.
  4. In a separate put, bring water to a boil – add your noodles, and boil until al dente.
  5. While they’re boiling, preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a skillet or pyrex dish (my skillet is an 8 inch mini Lodge skillet).
  6. Once noodles are cooked and drained according to cooking instruction, Mix them into your sauce. It may look like you have “too much sauce”, but it will absorb slightly into the noodles once baked. Place into your skillet or baking dish, and bake until golden, about 20-25 minutes.
  7. While your macaroni is baking, if using paleo breadcrumbs, mix together all breadcrumb ingredients in a dry small frying pan and toast slightly over medium heat until starting to brown. If using regular breadcrumbs – no need to pre-toast. With 5 minutes left of cooking, remove the mac and cheese and sprinkle your breadcrumbs over top – bake another 5 minutes until starting to brown further, but not burning.
  8. Serve while hot. Enjoy!

-S

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Posted on August 24, 2020 by The Divine Kitchen

Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Baked Potatoes (Paleo!)

I am on a roll! Really hoping I don’t lose my momentum with this. It feels good to be motivated and keep cooking, and it’s great to come up with some creative foods (with my 200 lbs of yams I bought….)

I went to a winery this weekend with some of my friends, and I have to say – it was honestly the best weekend I can remember having. With COVID and having to be home so much, you forget that we are supposed to be social creatures – I was nervous, but it was a calculated risk I was taking, and I make sure to space out at least a week or two between seeing people, just to be extra careful. We went to Penn’s Woods – sat outside, enjoyed some cheese, several bottles of rosé… it was nice to have conversation, get dressed up, put on some mascara and brush my hair for the first time in a few weeks… it’s good for the soul.

Speaking of good for the soul, I want to talk about buffalo sauce. This is not a 180 degree turn, I honestly really have some time of feelings about buffalo sauce. I am loyal to certain brands for certain things (Dijon, you MUST buy Grey Poupon, no off-brand Sriracha – chicken bottle all the way), and Frank’s original buffalo sauce is a sacred staple.

Back in the day, we used to have a bunch of Wings To Go franchises around here. When I was babysitting my brothers and sister, I used to take them there for lunch. They had, without a doubt, the best buffalo sauce ever… but I never knew what it was. It could’ve been Frank’s mixed with lard and unicorn toots, honestly, I will never know. They’re long gone. However, when you find something buffalo flavored and it’s done right, it just hits differently.

This is where I need to share this information with you. I had potatoes from my good friend Vivian’s garden, and they sat on my counter until I decided what to do with them. I could eat a potato plain, I never discriminate against a spud – really. But these were special potatoes… sentimental, if you will.

So – with my leftover chicken from my Pesto Chicken recipe, I made some buffalo chicken stuffed potatoes. They were glorious.

 

Whatever, let’s just get right to it.

 

Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Baker Potatoes (Paleo!)

 

Prep time: 10 min

Cook time: 7 min (if using microwave), 40-50 min (if using oven)

Makes 2 potatoes

 

Ingredients

  • 2 large red potatoes (or preferred potato if strict paleo or Whole30), scrubbed
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded, cooked chicken breast or thigh (approx. 1 large chicken breast, 2-3 thighs)
  • 2 tbsp Frank’s Original Buffalo Sauce
  • 1 tbsp Vegenaise, or paleo mayo
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1-2 stalks of scallions, chopped

 

Directions

  1. Cook potatoes until soft – approximately 5-7 minutes in the microwave, 40-50 minutes in the oven.
  2. While potatoes are cooking, mix together your shredded chicken, buffalo sauce, mayo, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper, until combined.
  3. Once your potatoes are cooked, cut a cross-hair shape into the top. Purse the four corners together (like a cootie catcher, lol!). Sprinkle with salt.
  4. Top with your chicken mixture, and garnish with scallions.
  5. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

-S

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Posted on August 23, 2020 by The Divine Kitchen

Bacon Wrapped Sweet Potato Wedges with Avocado Crema (PALEO!)

Sunday Funday! Except not, because we can’t really do anything.

Guys, I still have yams that I can’t seem to get rid of. When I bought so many, I really didn’t think about how creative I’d have to be to find ways to eat them… that weren’t super boring. Cue the bacon…

Though this year has been a lot different, I love going to the Kennett Square Farmers Market to get stuff like local produce, meats, etc. Though I don’t try to eat a lot of meat, I do prefer to know that it was responsibly farmed and that the animal lived as best a life as it could have. I like buying from Canter Hill Farm out of Malvern, PA – they take organic and animal welfare to the next level. I had some bacon in my freezer, and hot damn, it was the perfect thing to use with sweet potatoes. I’ve done a vegetable hash before, but I wanted to be ready with a great snack idea, once we’re all allowed to party again. Without further delay….

 

Bacon Wrapped Sweet Potato Wedges with Avocado Crema (PALEO!)

Prep time: 10 min

Cook time: 30-40 min

 

Ingredients

  • 2-3 large sweet potatoes, cut into about 8 wedges each
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • pinch of salt and pepper
  • 1 lb thick cut (preferably local!) bacon

for the crema:

  • 1 small container of Greek-style dairy free yogurt, or regular Greek yogurt if not strict paleo
  • 1 avocado, ripe/bright green
  • Juice from 1 lime, or 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • salt, to taste

Important supplies – a wire baking rack for your sheet (so the bacon doesn’t get soggy)

 

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease/spray your wire backing rack, and place on a foil-lined baking sheet (foil for easy clean up!).
  2. In a small mixing bowl, mix together your paprika, garlic and chili powder, with just a pinch of salt. On each wedge, sprinkle the seasoning on both sides of the wedge, and wrap the bacon around the wedge like a spiral, starting at one end and working your way to the other end.
  3. Repeat this for each of the wedges, placing them evenly spaced on the wire rack/baking sheet.
  4. If you have any leftover seasoning mix, sprinkle over the wedges.
  5. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until bacon starts to brown. It’s best to flip them halfway through, so that the bottom side is able to brown just as the top does.
  6. Meanwhile, while they’re baking, mash your avocado in a mixing bowl, so that no chunks remain. If you like particularly smooth avocado puree, you can do this step in a food processor. Quite frankly, I did mine by hand because it was 8:30pm and I didn’t want to dirty another dish, so it worked just fine.
  7. Once the avocado is mashed or pureed, mix in your Greek yogurt, lime juice and pinch of salt. Continue to mix until smooth. Place in refrigerator until use.
  8. Once your sweet potato wedges are cooked, serve immediately while hot, with your crema on the side.

 

Enjoy!

-S

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