QUICK & EASY PALEO COMFORT FOODS
Charles and Julie Mayfield
Harlequin Books
September 2013
$25.95/Trade Paperback
ISBN-13: 978-0373892808
Julie and Charles Mayfield began living a Paleo lifestyle in 2009 and haven’t looked back since. They brought their love of home cooking and the Paleo movement to the masses through their first book, Paleo Comfort Foods (Victory Belt). When not in the kitchen, the Mayfields own and operate BTB CrossFit Vinings, a CrossFit affiliate in the greater Atlanta area, where they have spearheaded several Paleo challenges for hundreds of clients, resulting in many inches lost and lives changed. The Mayfields live in Smyrna, Georgia. Visit them at www.PaleoComfortFoods.com.
Lose inches while enjoying pan-seared steak? Restore your health and boost your energy through chipotle mashed sweet potatoes and sautéed Brussels sprouts? Absolutely. Millions of people are embracing the health benefits of the Paleo movement and transitioning to a diet based on protein, healthy fats and fresh fruits and vegetables. Charles and Julie Mayfield’s easy, inspiring recipes will have healthy, delicious meals on the table, without spending hours in the kitchen.
Jalapeño Poppers • Bacon- & Basil-Wrapped Shrimp • Eggs Benedict Florentine • Almond-Crusted Pork Tenderloin • Southwestern Shepherd’s Pie • Green Turkey Chili • Ginger Glazed Carrots • Paella • Szechuan Stir-Fry • Molasses Ginger Cookies • Berry Scones
These are simple-to-make dishes that soothe the soul after a stressful day—food you’ll want to share with family and friends. Gorgeously illustrated and written by home cooks for home cooks, QUICK & EASY PALEO COMFORT FOODS helpfully instructs on cooking techniques, pantry staples and must-have kitchen equipment. With these warm and engaging authors as your guides, healthy eating becomes less complicated and infinitely more pleasurable and satisfying.
Blueberry Muffins
Yield: 12 muffins
Back in the day, I was quite the baker. I loved making several dozen muffins using my family’s favorite blueberry muffin recipe to share with friends in high school. Enter Paleo, and my desire to bake, my experimentation with baking, and my arsenal of baking supplies dwindled significantly. I just didn’t have the desire to bake a lot of treats, and I knew I was healthier for it (as were my friends). However, blueberry muffins still call my name every once in a while, and this recipe is the answer to that. –Julie
3 cups almond flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup coconut oil, melted slightly
1/4 cup coconut milk
2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup, (optional)
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees, and line a cupcake pan with 12 paper liners.
In a large bowl, combine almond flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon until well combined.
Mix in all remaining ingredients except blueberries.
Gently fold in the blueberries.
Carefully spoon batter into the muffin pan, filling up each cup about 3/4 full.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of each muffin comes out clean.
Ingredient note: while frozen blueberries often times have a lot more flavor (as they are typically picked before they are overripe), we still prefer to use fresh blueberries. A tip if you are using frozen: take them out of the freezer at the very last second and quickly toss them with coconut or almond flour before gently mixing them into your batter.
Chicken and Broccoli Casserole
Yield: 6-8 servings
Here in the south, we seem to have a reputation for casseroles that involve pouring a can of “cream of something” soup over some protein and vegetables, baking it for a while, and calling it a day. There’s something about casseroles that make them a quintessential comfort food; they are perfect for bringing to a friend’s house to welcome that new arrival, or just to have on hand in the freezer. This casserole takes that very notion of comfort and familiar “cream of” flavor, but without the processed foods. It’s healthy and yet still incredibly filling and comforting.
2 tablespoons oil or cooking fat of choice
2 pounds chicken meat (breast or thigh), chopped into bite sized pieces
1 onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups broccoli florets
5 cups cauliflower florets
1 cup coconut milk
1-2 cups chicken stock
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon paprika
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add in your oil, followed by your chicken pieces. Sauté until just about cooked through, about 5-6 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside on a plate. In the same skillet, sauté the onions and garlic until onions are just translucent, approximately 3-5 minutes. Add in the broccoli florets and about ½ inch of water, and cook broccoli, stirring occasionally, for approximately 3-5 minutes or until broccoli is bright green.
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, combine cauliflower with coconut milk and 1 cup of chicken stock over high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and cover. Simmer for approximately 10 minutes or until the cauliflower is fork tender. With an immersion blender or food processor, puree the cauliflower and cooking liquid until no lumps remain. Add in more chicken stock to reach desired consistency (we prefer ours a little on the thicker side). Mix in the garlic powder, curry powder, cayenne pepper and salt and pepper.
Place the broccoli/onion mixture and chicken in a 9×13 casserole dish or similar sized oven-proof dish. Stir in the cauliflower mixture and combine well. Sprinkle the top with paprika, and place in the oven for 10 minutes, or until slightly browned on top and cauliflower mixture is bubbly around the edges.
Time Savers Note: Use some already cooked chicken and already made mashed cauliflower, or steam your broccoli in the microwave.
Variations: Instead of broccoli, try this dish with asparagus, or feel free to add in a little sautéed spinach for some extra vitamins. Mushrooms are also incredibly tasty in this dish!
To freeze: Follow all steps as directed until placing in the oven in step 4. Place a layer of plastic wrap directly on the top surface of the casserole, and cover the entire dish with aluminum foil. Place in the refrigerator to cool, and once cool, move to the freezer. This will freeze for several weeks. When ready to reheat, thaw casserole in the refrigerator a day or two ahead of time, and heat in the oven for 20-30 minutes or until hot throughout.
These recipes may be reproduced with the following credit:
Recipes from Quick & Easy Paleo Comfort Foods by Charles and Julie Mayfield. (Harlequin; September 2013; $25.95/Trade Paperback; ISBN-13; 978-0373892808). http://www.harlequin.com/
Contact: Shara Alexander
(212) 553-4261
shara_alexander@harlequin.ca