Greek Scallops

Time: 30 minutes

1 lb. sea scallops
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 C chopped onion
1 C sliced mushrooms
2 cloves minced garlic
1 C chopped tomatoes
1/4 C chopped parsley
2 Tbsp lemon juice
Oregano
Pepper
1 hard boiled egg, chopped
2 Tbsp pine nuts

In a large saucepan, heat the scallops in 1 Tbsp of olive oil until opaque, around 5 minutes. Transfer the scallops and liquid to a bowl and set aside. Rinse and dry the pan.

Now, heat 1 Tbsp of olive oil in the pan, this time, add the onions and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and sauté 3-5 min more, then add the minced garlic and sauté for 1 more minute. Add the tomato, lemon juice, chopped parsley, oregano, and pepper. Boil, then reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in the scallops and liquid, and bring to a boil. Serve into bowls, top with the chopped hard boiled egg and pine nuts.

Zone info: 2 servings at 1.5 carb blocks, 2.5 protein blocks, 7.5 fat blocks






Greek Lamb and Spinach Stew

Prep time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 1 1/2 hours

2 lb shoulder of lamb
1 onion, chopped
4 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb tomatoes, chopped
2 Tbsp tomato paste
Oregano
Pepper
2 1/2 cups water or chicken broth
1 lb spinach, shredded

Cut the lamb into bite sized pieces. Heat the oil in a large pot, then add the lamb and chopped onion. Cook over medium heat around ten minutes, stirring, until browned.

Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, seasonings, and water or broth. Mix well and bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.

Wash and shred the spinach. Add to the stew, stir, cover and cook ten minutes more. Adjust the seasonings if desired, then serve.

Zone info: 6 servings at ~1 block carbs, 5 blocks protein, 14 blocks fat






Dolmas (Stuffed Grape Leaves)

This makes a tasty side dish or appetizer. It is a little time consuming to roll the leaves, but worth it. Grape leaves can often be found in better grocery stores near the olive section. Many variations are possible here; try adding chopped hard boiled egg or ground lamb.

45 minutes prep time
1 hour cooking time

1 C cauliflower, finely chopped
4 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 C chopped onion
2 green onions, chopped
1/4 C minced parsley
2 Tbsp minced fresh mint
1/2 C pine nuts
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp pepper
Grape leaves
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 C chicken broth

Sauté the onion 5 minutes in 1 Tbsp of olive oil, then transfer to a bowl. Finely chop 1 cup of cauliflower, then add to the bowl. Add 3 Tbsp olive oil, green onion, parsley, mint, pine nuts, cinnamon, allspice, and pepper. Mix well.

Remove the grape leaves from the jar, then carefully remove a leaf and rinse thoroughly. Cut the stem off, then lay shiny side down. Place 1 Tbsp of the cauliflower mixture in the middle of the grape leaf, then roll it much as you would a burrito. Fold the stem end over, then fold both sides over that. Now, roll from the back forward. Place the rolled grape leaves in a pot or saucepan, seam side down. Lay a few parsley stems on the bottom of the pot first so that the grape leaves will not stick. Repeat this process until you have used up all of the cauliflower mixture. The dolmas should fit tightly together in the bottom of the pot.

Drizzle 1 T of olive oil over the dolmas, then add the lemon juice and chicken broth. Lay a plate over the dolmas, then bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour. Add water if needed. Cool, then serve.

Zone info: Makes around 15 dolmas. 3 dolmas = 1 serving. Each serving - 1/2 carb block, 9.5 fat blocks






Moussaka

Moussaka is a casserole dish found in many cultures, but in the West, the Greek version is probably the best known. It is usually an eggplant casserole topped with a cream sauce. Here, we sub parsnips for the potatoes, then get a little creative to try to make a Paleo friendly cream sauce.

45 min prep time
45 min cooking time

1 medium eggplant
2 parsnips, sliced crosswise 1/4 inch thick
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 C chopped onions
1/2 lb ground beef (preferably grass-fed)
1/4 chopped parsley
4 Tbsp tomato paste
1/4 C ground sunflower seeds
1/4 C coconut milk
1 egg
2 Tbsp tahini
Nutmeg

Peel the eggplant, then slice lengthwise into 1/2 inch thick strips. Place in a steamer and steam 5-10 minutes until soft. Set aside. Meanwhile, heat 2 Tbsp of olive oil in a pan, and sauté the parsnip slices around 3-4 minutes each side. Set these aside. Add 1 Tbsp olive oil to the pan, and sauté the onion for a couple of minutes. Add the beef and cook until the meat is browned. Add the parsley and tomato paste and simmer for 10 minutes.

In a medium small casserole dish, start to layer the moussaka. Place a layer of eggplant, then parsnip slices, then meat sauce, eggplant again, parsnip, meat, and finally end with eggplant.

In a small pan over medium-low heat, warm the coconut milk, egg, ground seeds, tahini, and nutmeg. Stir until the mixture just begins to thicken, then pour over the moussaka as a topping.

Bake in the oven for 45 minutes at 350 degrees. Allow to cool for a bit, then slice and serve.

Zone info: 2 servings at 4.5 carb blocks, 5 protein blocks, 30 fat blocks






Tuna and Pumpkin Salad
Nikki Young

1cup diced pumpkin, boiled until cooked
3 oz canned tuna
1/3 avocado, diced (3 tbsp)
6 cherry tomatoes (1 cup)
4 walnut halves, chopped

Combine all ingredients together in a bowl. Makes 1 serving.

Zone Blocks per Serving: 2 blocks carb; 3 blocks protein; 7 blocks fat.






Vegetables in Coconut Milk
Nikki Young

1cup broccoli florets
1 cup pumpkin, diced
½ cup cabbage, finely sliced
½ cup light coconut milk
Walnuts to serve

Boil the broccoli, pumpkin and cabbage in the coconut milk until tender. Remove from pan and serve with walnuts. Makes 1 serving.

Zone Blocks per Serving: 2 blocks carb; 2 blocks fat (not including walnuts); Walnuts – ½ walnut = 1 block fat.






Currently I'm traveling Australia, living with complete strangers and picking up some interesting recipes along the way. Throughout my travels I have been introduced to the goodness of curry and have quickly fallen in love with these amazing dishes. I have managed to modify and tweak a number of recipes that I've dug up into paleo-friendly meals that taste amazing. Depending on your level of paleo-ness, you might want to not use either the chicken stock or coconut milk. I have found what works well is simply to boil up some chicken and use the leftover water as your stock. I find this also tastes better than the stock made from the cubes. As for coconut milk, boil dried shredded coconut in water for a replacement. If you do use coconut milk or cream, use as much as needed to fill your block requirements, and use water to make up the rest of the cups required. Also, as curry is often served overtop either a rice or pasta dish and that's a paleo no-no, I've found that a great replacement is to use either steamed/boiled cabbage or mashed cauliflower with just a little bit of nutmeg. Use whole nutmeg and grind off just a little with a grater into the water. Four cups of raw cabbage or 3.5 cups of raw cauliflower make up a carbohydrate block.
-Troy Archie, www.crossfitanywhere.blogspot.com


A Base - Curry 101

- Precooked chicken/beef/turkey/hardboiled eggs
- Brown onions, chopped
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Curry powder
- 2 cups chicken stock (optional)
- 2 cups coconut mix (optional)

Fry the onions, garlic and ginger in a pan/pot with either a little olive oil or cooking spray. Use as much or as little garlic and ginger as you want. 1-2 cloves of garlic works well, and start off with just a bit of ginger. Add curry powder to taste—1-2 tbsp is a good starting point—and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring periodically.

From here you can experiment to your heart's content by adding any other veggies you think would be good such as tomatoes, zucchini, peppers, eggplant, or pumpkin. Add harder, longer cooking vegetables first and softer, quick cooking vegetables second and cook until the veggies soften.

Now you can add in your coconut mix and/or chicken stock. Add in whatever herbs and spices you think will work well, such as a squirt of lemon, a dash of basil, a couple hot peppers, coriander, cumin, and/or mint. Cover and let simmer for about 10 minutes. Add the pre-cooked meat into the mix and continue simmering for another 10 minutes.

Tip: If you're using fresh herbs, it's best to add them closer to when the dish is nearly completed like when you add the precooked meat.


Chicken Curry

- 4 oz. precooked chicken, sliced
- 1.5 cups brown onions, chopped
- Garlic
- Ginger
- 1-2 tbsp curry powder
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
- 2 tsp paprika
- 2 whole cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick, roughly 3"
- 2 cups coconut mix
- 2.5 cups green or red peppers, chopped
- 1 tbsp mint, chopped

Fry the onions, garlic and ginger in a pan/pot with a little bit of cooking spray until the onions start to brown slightly. Add curry powder and cook for about 3 minutes, giving it a periodic stir to ensure that it isn't sticking to the pan/pot. Add the tomatoes, paprika, cloves, cinnamon sticks, coconut mix, green peppers and mint. Stir it all together and bring it to a boil. Drop down the temperature and cover, letting it simmer for about 10 minutes. Make sure you check on it occasionally just to give it a stir and make sure it's not burning. Add the pre-cooked chicken into the mix and continue simmering for another 10 minutes.

Tip: If you're using fresh mint, it's best to add it when you add the chicken.

Zone Blocks: 4 oz chicken = four protein blocks; 1.5 cups brown onions = one carbohydrate block; 2 tomatoes = one carbohydrate block; 2.5 cups green or red peppers = one carbohydrate block; cabbage/cauliflower base = one carbohydrate block.


Apple Celery Curry

- 4 oz. either precooked chicken, beef, turkey, eggs, etc.
- Olive oil
- 1.5 cups brown onions, chopped
- Garlic
- 1-2 tbsp curry powder
- 2.5 cups celery, chopped
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 apple, chopped

Fry the onions, garlic and celery in a pan/pot with an amount of olive oil appropriate for your block requirements until the onions start to slightly brown and the celery is soft. Add the curry powder and cook for about 3 minutes, giving it a periodic stir and ensuring that it isn't sticking to the pan/pot. Remove from the heat and add the chicken stock. Bring it all to a boil and add the apples. Drop the temperature and cover, letting it simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the pre-cooked meat into the mix and continue simmering covered for another 10 minutes.

Zone Blocks: 4 oz meat = five protein blocks; 1.5 cups brown onions = one carbohydrate block; 2.5 cups celery = one carbohydrate block; 1 apple = two carbohydrate block; cabbage/cauliflower base = one carbohydrate block. The quantities of all the ingredients can easily be modified to fit whatever zone block meal you're making.