Pickled Vegetables

You can take this base recipe and make pickled vegetables from whatever veggies you like or have on hand. This is just one of many variations.

Prep time: 7 min
Total time: around two days

Vegetable example:
• 1/2 head cauliflower florets
• 1 lb green beans
• 1 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped

Marinade:
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 3-5 cloves garlic
• 1 Tbsp unsweetened applesauce
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp whole peppercorns

You'll need a one gallon glass wide mouth jar. Chop your choice of veggies and add them to the jar.

Place the marinade ingredients into a blender or food processor. Blend well, then pour into the jar. Cover and shake well. Remove the lid and place a cloth over the jar. Allow it to stand for about 2 days at room temperature. After that, remove the cloth and place the lid back on the jar. Refrigerate.

You can save the marinade for later use with beef or lamb steak.

Zone info: 6 servings at ~1 carb block. (7g net carb)


Zucchini Salad

Time: 5 minutes

• 1 lb zucchini
• 3/4 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 hard boiled eggs, chopped
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• sea salt and pepper to taste

Cut both ends off of the zucchini. Shred in a food processor, or grate by hand. Add the zuchs to a big bowl, along with all of the remaining ingredients. Toss well.

Nutrition/Zone info: 4 servings at 1/3 carb block, 1/2 protein block, 4 fat blocks. (3g carb, 3.5g prot, 6g fat)




Creamy Avocado and Rhubarb Soup

Time: 4 minutes

• 1 medium avocado
• 1 stalk rhubarb
• 1 cup coconut water
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/4 tsp cumin

Place all ingredients into a blender or food processor, blend until creamy. Serve chilled.

Another option is to substitute 1/2 a cucumber for the rhubarb, and 1/2 tsp dill for the oregano and cumin.

You can season this many different ways. Try it with your favorite seasonings!

Zone info: 2 servings at .6 carb block, 12 fat blocks. (6g carb, 18g fat)




Hollandaise and Smoked Salmon Breakfast

Time: 10 minutes

Hollandaise sauce:
• 3 egg yolks
• 1/2 tsp grated lemon peel
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
•1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup sesame oil
• 3/4 cup coconut oil

Salmon and eggs:
• 2 eggs
• 4 oz smoked salmon

Melt the coconut oil and sesame oil together in a small saucepan. Meanwhile, separate 3 eggs. (you can save the egg whites for later use) Place egg yolks in food processor; process for 10 seconds. With the motor running, pour the oil mixture in with the eggs. Add the salt, grated lemon rind and juice. Process for another 30 seconds or until sauce thickens. Serve immediately, saving the leftover sauce to reheat for later use.

Warm the smoked salmon in a separate skillet. Cook two eggs over easy. Split the smoked salmon between two plates, add one egg to each, then top with the desired amount of Hollandaise sauce.

Nutrition/Zone info: (salmon and egg only) 2 servings at 2.7 blocks protein, 4.5 blocks fat (19g prot, 9.5 blocks fat). 1 Tbsp Hollandaise sauce = 9.3 blocks fat (14g fat)




Moroccan Lamb

This is a simple marinade that uses Ras El Hanout, a Moroccan spice blend. Traditionally, this is made from fresh ground spices and herbs. Here, we will save a little time and use powdered spices. If you are lucky, you may even be able to find a pre-blended mixture at specialty markets. This spice recipe is for a large batch, store it for future use in a glass spice jar.

One problem with cooking meat is that cooking at high temperatures or charring the meat creates Heterocyclic Amines. These and other toxins from cooking can cause significant oxidative damage over time, and are known carcinogens. Recent research shows that marinading with a spice blend similar to this one reduced the level of malondialdehyde in the subjects urine by 49 percent. Malondialdehyde is a chemical marker for oxidation. Malondialdehyde levels in the meat were reduced by 71 percent. Another reason to use your spices! (See this for more info)

Time: 10 minutes

Ras El Hanout:
• 2 Tbsp ground cumin
• 2 Tbsp ground ginger
• 2 Tbsp ground cardamon
• 1 Tbsp cinnamon
• 1 Tbsp ground allspice
• 1 Tbsp ground coriander
• 2 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 tsp ground cayenne pepper
• 2 tsp ground anise seeds
• 1 tsp ground cloves
• 1 tsp sea salt

Combine all of the spices; mix well. Place in a jar for storage.

Marinade:
• 2 lbs lamb steak
• 2 Tbsp Ras El Hanout
• 1 Tbsp olive oil

To prepare the lamb, mix the Ras El Hanout and olive oil in a small bowl. Rub all over the steaks, then refrigerate for 4+ hours. Grill or pan fry to the desired degree of doneness.

Zone info: this will depend on the type of cuts that you used. Check with your butcher for nutritional info. In general, 1oz will be about 7g protein, or about 1 protein block. Fat content will vary, but an average is about 2.5g fat per ounce.