Creamy Paleo Tomato and Pork Curry

If you’re like me, and you like a curry that’s aromatic, not too spicy and with different levels of flavours, then THIS is the one for you. 

It’s creamy and mild, low on heat – but don’t think that it’s low on flavour, because it isn’t. 

First of all, when you bite into a spoonful of this curry, you get tender, soft pork – and a sweet, creamy sauce. THEN flavours start to tingle all over your tongue. There’s a definite warmth from the black peppercorns, green cardamom pods and cloves. There’s the crispy fried red onions that are scattered over the top, and a citrus-boost from the fresh, bright coriander leaves. The tomatoes and the paprika add richness. THIS is a tasty curry. 

I was sent the pork to make this lovely bowl of goodness from Farmer’s Choice, an online butcher that specialises in free-range meats. And it’s fine for weeknights – taking just over half an hour to make from scratch. 

You could serve this with some paleo flatbreads, a pile of steamed cauliflower rice or as I do – just on its own, in a bowl, spooned out while the rain’s pattering on the windows outside. 

Creamy Paleo Tomato and Pork Curry
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
3 fresh tomatoes (not tinned), quartered
1 piece of fresh ginger, about the size of your thumb, peeled and roughly chopped
3 chunky garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped into chunks
1 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground paprika
2 tsp coconut oil
4 green cardamom pods
3 whole cloves
7 whole black peppercorns
2 medium-sized red onions, both peeled and then cut in half and sliced thinly
700g diced pork
1 x 400ml can coconut milk (full-fat)
a good pinch – about half a teaspoon – of salt

Method
Drop the tomatoes, the chopped ginger and the chopped garlic in a large mixing bowl or the jug of a blender. Blend using the blender or a stick blender until smooth. Stir in the ground coriander and the paprika and put to one side. 

Get out a medium-sized saucepan and heat up 1 tsp of the coconut oil. Add the cardamom pods, cloves and peppercorns and stir-fry in the hot oil for about a minute, until they’re sizzling and aromatic. Throw in one of the sliced onions and fry until dark red and glossy. Next, pour in the tomato mixture and fold it into the onions, stir-frying for about 3-4 minutes. 

Once you can see that some of the liquid has evaporated from the tomato mixture, add the pork and then the coconut milk. Season with salt, and leave to simmer gently, with the lid off, for 30 minutes, or until the pork is tender and cooked all the way through. 

Once the pork is cooked through, and the sauce has darkened slightly, keep it on a low heat and fry the remaining onion slices in a little coconut oil, until crisp and golden. Serve the curry with the onion slices scattered over, with some freshly torn coriander leaves on top. 

I received a contribution for the ingredients to make the recipe, from Farmer’s Choice, who also supplied the pork. Go and check them out on their website – their meat is free-range and really good. 

AIP Paleo Chicken Cacciatore – Hunter’s Chicken

My husband’s grandmother was from Spain and every time I’d cook chicken in tomato sauce he would say it reminded him of the smell coming from her kitchen when he was little. 

Well, I rarely cook with tomatoes now but wondered if a no-mato sauce could help me recreate the classic Italian Chicken Cacciatore – or Hunter’s Chicken – dish that we used to love so much, and that brought back so many lovely childhood memories for him. So I had a go. And yes. Yes it could. 

Chicken Cacciatore is chicken, or more traditionally rabbit – first pan-fried and then cooked in the oven in a tomato sauce with herbs, garlic, onions and peppers. This dish is nightshade-free, so it doesn’t have any peppers or tomatoes, but it’s really big on flavour. There are lots of veggies in this sauce, and it’s actually quite hard to believe that you’re not eating a rich tomato sauce. 

So this version of Hunter’s Chicken is nightshade, seed, refined sugar, gluten and dairy-free. It’s suitable for the autoimmune protocol and paleo diets. It’s fantastic served with a fluffy pile of cauliflower and white sweet potato mash and some cooked cabbage alongside. 

You can use chicken thighs or the breast meat here. While I know that thighs have more flavour and are more suited to slower cooking, I actually prefer to make this with chicken breasts. They don’t take as long to cook, and there are no fiddly bones to worry about when you’re tucking into this stew. But, as always, it’s up to you. I hope you like it.

AIP (autoimmune protocol compliant) Chicken Cacciatore

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 tsp coconut oil

pinch of salt

4-6 chicken breasts or thighs (skin on)

half quantity of this no-mato sauce (the richer your beef broth, the better)

1 tbsp capers (or use some pitted olives, black or green – if you have them handy)

1 tsp dried rosemary

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Method

First, set your oven to gas mark 6/200ºC/400ºF. Melt the coconut oil in a large frying pan and fry the chicken, skin side down, in batches, so that the skin turns golden and begins to crisp. Turn over and fry the other side for a minute or two to seal the meat and then place on a plate. 

Pour the no-mato sauce into the bottom of a square roasting dish – the kind you’d bake a lasagne in – and place the chicken pieces on top, skin side up. Sprinkle with the salt and the rosemary and dot the capers or olives (or both if you have them) between the pieces of chicken in the sauce. Slide into the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling and the chicken is golden and fully cooked through. Serve with the sauce, and some of your favourite veggie mash and greens. 

AIP Paleo Bacon Jam

Keep calm, people. 

For I have created a bacon jam recipe that’s autoimmune protocol compliant. I repeat: BACON JAM that is AIP COMPLIANT. And it’s fab on burgers. 

I remember my first taste of bacon jam, waaaay before I started the autoimmune protocol. It was sweet, salty, smoky and sticky. I ate it in sandwiches, salads, straight from the pot standing in front of the open fridge… and to be honest, I missed it. 

The original recipe I used to make contained coffee, chillies, nightshade spices, lots of brown sugar and obviously, lots of bacon. Well this one’s been given an autoimmune makeover and still has the sweet, smoky flavour that I remembered. *high five*

It’s gorgeous. Smoky, sweet, a kick from the vanilla. I wouldn’t go overboard with it though. Use a small spoonful as a condiment – a topping for a burger, a spoonful alongside some pale, sweet scallops or in a prawn salad. You could also stir it into stews for a sweeter bacon flavour instead of adding the bacon itself. The recipe here makes quite a bit – enough to fill a large cereal bowl – and I think you could even freeze half of it to bring out later if you wanted to. 

The only bit of prep is that you need some no-mato sauce to stir in – when you’ve made a batch, keep back a few tablespoons and make this. You’re going to love it. 

AIP (Autoimmune Protocol Compliant) Bacon Jam

Makes about 20 servings (keep in the fridge for about a week or freeze half for later)

Ingredients

500g smoked, streaky bacon, chopped into small pieces the smaller, the better)

3 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped

1 red onion, peeled and finely chopped

3 x 15ml tablespoons maple syrup

2 x teaspoons apple cider vinegar

250ml rich beef broth

1 tsp vanilla extract

5-6 tablespoons no-mato sauce

Method

Finely chop up your bacon and gently fry, to release the fats, in a medium to large-sized saucepan, stirring regularly. If your bacon isn’t very fatty, you can add a little coconut oil or duck fat to help it along, but not too much. 

Once most of the fat has rendered down from the bacon add the chopped onion and garlic cloves. Stir-fry for a couple of minutes until the onion has started to soften and the bacon is golden. Add the maple syrup, cider vinegar, beef broth and vanilla extract and stir, bringing to a gentle simmer. Cook on a low heat for another 20 minutes or so, until most of the liquid has evaporated but you still have a small amount in the bottom of the pan. Stir in the no-mato sauce until it’s warmed through and then turn off the heat and allow to cool. 

If you want it more thinner and jammier, you can chop the bacon up a bit more in a processor, but I like it quite chunky. 

Once cool, store in an airtight container in the fridge. Use within a week. 

15 AIP Paleo Recipes That Are Perfect for Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day. It’s coming up, and if you’re looking for something nice for dinner (whether with a loved one or just for yourself) then here’s a roundup of my favourite recipes that are perfect for Valentine’s Day. Because you’re going to busy enough sweeping up all those cards and red roses from your front door to worry about it yourself. 

Persian Watercress Strawberry Chicken Salad

 

A nice, light salad with strawberries, bacon and chicken. Make it for lunch or pack it and take it and eat it while going on a romantic stroll in the park. Sorted. 

Prosciutto Crisps

 

Because you’ll need something to dip your guacamole in. Just make sure you get nightshade spice and black pepper-free prosciutto, unless you’ve reintroduced it. 

Bacon-Wrapped Chimichurri Stuffed Chicken

Once you’ve wrapped this lovely thing up, the oven takes care of the rest. Because no one wants to spend all of Valentine’s Day stuck in the kitchen, do they? 


Coconut, Vanilla and Raspberry Ice Lollies

 

I know it’s still February, but hey – why not?

Autoimmune Courgette Bolognese

 

If you’re feeling extra romantic you could just make a huge bowl of this and slurp it up together just like the dogs did on Lady and the Tramp. If you wanted to. 

Coconut and Strawberry Ice Cream

 

It’s pink, it’s dessert and it’s downright delicious. So it’s perfect then. 

Roasted Prawns with Smoked Garlic and Parsley

 

Seafood is full of good nutritious things. You also eat these with your fingers, which could be quite romantic. And the Romans ate loads of seafood didn’t they – and, well, judging by the mosaics and wallpaintings they left behind, they weren’t shy. 

Slow Roasted Pork Belly with Garlic and Cider

 

“Irresistible. Gorgeous. Beautiful. Oh, sorry love. I was talking about the pork…”

Smoked Salmon Parcels

 

A nice starter to a special meal that you can make the day before and keep in the fridge. Just whip them out to get to room temperature half an hour before eating and pretend you slaved over them all day. Like I do.

Raspberry Ice Cream Cake

 

A date and coconut base with raspberry and coconut ice cream top and then raspberry drizzle poured over before you eat. A great Valentine’s pud. 

Turkey, Bacon, Fig and Raspberry Salad

 

Figs are an aphrodisiac, so some boffins reckon. And if you needed any more proof, it’s said that Cleopatra ate loads of them. And there’s bacon. And raspberries. In fact this salad was MADE for Valentine’s. Enjoy. 

Strawberries and Cream Milkshake

 

Just picture the two of you, gazing at each other longingly over a glass of this. Or just blitz one up for yourself. It’s lovely. 

Roasted Duck Breasts with Raspberry and Orange Sauce

Crisp-skinned duck breasts, roasted for 20 minutes in the oven and then served with this tangy raspberry and orange sauce. Perfect…

Blueberry Topped Sweet Potato

 

Bake a couple of these and with that topping, it beats breakfast pancakes for sure. 

Slow Cooker Garlic Lamb Shanks with Lemon Dressing

 

Stick a couple of lamb shanks in the slow cooker and leave them to cook all day. Just whisk up the dressing before you’re going to eat and you have a really effortless, tasty and indulgent meal. 

What are you feasting on for Valentine’s Day? 

Roasted Duck Breasts with Raspberry and Orange Sauce

Duck and orange is a classic combination, isn’t it? But I was looking for something more bold, a bit more striking… 

So I came up with this. 

Not only does it look really posh (added bonus) it’s AIP-compliant and paleo. And the orange just gives those raspberries a bit of an edge, so the sauce isn’t cloyingly sweet. You want to get a bit of tartness in there, which will depend on the oranges you use but if you wanted a bit more, try squeezing in a little lemon or grapefruit juice. 

Here goes… 

Roasted Duck Breasts with Raspberry and Orange Sauce

Serves 2 (with leftover sauce)

Ingredients

2 duck breasts (skin on)

165g raspberries (fresh or frozen)

1 tsp honey

juice of one medium-sized orange

pinch of salt

Method

First, fry the duck breasts. Pat the skin dry and poke holes in it with a sharp knife – 3-4 on each breast will do. Then lay skin-side down in a dry pan set on a medium heat. Leave until the skin is golden and crisp – about 7 minutes – and then turn over and cook for about a minute on the other side. Lift with tongs into a small roasting dish and slide into an oven preheated to 220ºF/200ºC/gas mark 7. Roast for 20 minutes. 

While the duck is roasting, get on with the sauce. Tip out any fat that remains in the pan from frying the duck and tumble the washed raspberries into it. On a medium heat, drizzle in the honey and sprinkle in the salt. As it bubbles, mash up the raspberries a little as you stir, and squeeze in the orange juice. After a few seconds it should be bubbling and hot. Blend until smooth and pass through a sieve to get rid of the seeds. Taste the sauce and adjust the flavours if you need to – more orange juice, salt or lemon/grapefruit juice. Serve the sauce warm with the sliced, roasted duck breasts on top.

I’ve entered this into the Phoenix Helix AIP Recipe Roundtable – go have a look at the other recipes there for AIP inspiration…

The He Won’t Know It’s Paleo Cookbook Review and AIP Chocolate Mousse-Stuffed Strawberries Recipe

Well readers, have I got a treat for YOU. 

A new paleo autoimmune protocol cookbook is now out and it’s AWESOME. 

I’ve been a fan of Bre’anna’s for a while, ever since I saw she had made some AIP-compliant creme pies. I mean, that’s clever, when you can’t include nuts, dairy, eggs, refined sugar or grains in the recipe. 

Bre’anna let me have a sneak peak at her new book, which is available on Amazon as of today, and if you follow me on Instagram you will have seen me cooking some recipes from it and tantalising you with pictures. And now I’m going to tantalise you again. 

So. Missing breadsticks, muffins, CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH SALTED CARAMEL FROSTING? Of course you are. And Bre’anna has you covered. With AIP compliant recipes for all of these. I’m not kidding.

If you have a well-stocked kitchen with ingredients like coconut butter, gelatin, palm shortening, and the usual AIP-compliant flours and oils, you’ll have no trouble whipping up the baked goods. But the savoury dishes are easy to make too and actually required very little ‘special’ shopping, so it’s great for those nights when you can’t think what to cook and dip into it for inspiration.

The artichoke and spinach dip was whizzed up and then baked in the oven until it was bubbling and hot and then hungrily scooped up with plantain chips. I loved it. And I made it last a couple of days for lunch, too (yay me). 

We also made the Cheesy Cauliflower Rice from the book – creamy, a little cheesy (thanks to the nutritional yeast) and really comforting. It was one of my husband’s favourites. But then there was the CHICKEN. 

There’s a recipe in the book for Herbed Chicken Drumsticks – we used thighs instead but the meat was tender, the skin was REALLY crisp and flavoured with Bre’anna’s herb rub. We all wished I’d cooked double (some thought triple) the amount that I did. I’m actually going to make a little pot of the herb rub to keep in the cupboard for chicken night.

As well as the salmon (with stalks of roasty, tender asparagus) and the sweet potato hash browns (my new favourite, thanks to bacon) Bre’anna has recipes for dishes you’d never expect to see in an AIP-compliant cookbook: Strawberries with Chocolate Mousse filling, Strawberry Layer Cake, Lasagne, Apple Pie, Brownies. I mean, this is brilliant. And although we talk about sweet treats being only an occasional treat, it’s useful for a birthday or for Sunday afternoon baking with the kids. You don’t need to forego any of those things even when you’re on an elimination diet. 

This is one of the most inventive and stimulating AIP cookbooks I think I’ve seen. The photographs are beautiful and the book is really well designed. Some of the recipes can be found on the He Won’t Know It’s Paleo blog, but there are lots of new recipes too. As I’ve said, I don’t think there’s anything you need to miss out on while you’re on strict AIP thanks to this book. 

Get your copy on Amazon by clicking on the image at the top of this post or buy it directly through Bre’anna’s site: Click here to visit He Wont Know Its Paleo. (affiliate link)

Bre’anna’s kindly given me permission to share one of the recipes from the book with you. These Chocolate Mousse-Stuffed Strawberries look good, don’t they? 

Chocolate Mousse-Stuffed Strawberries (from He Won’t Know It’s Paleo Cookbook) 

Prep Time: 15 minutes Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:

1 pound strawberries
1 large avocado
1/4 cup coconut milk
3 tablespoons carob powder (or cocoa, depending on tolerance) 

3 tablespoons honey

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 

pinch sea salt

Directions:

1 Wash the strawberries and cut a cone-shaped hole into the tops of each one (removing the stem).

2 In a food processor or blender, blend the remaining ingredients until very smooth.

3 Pipe or spoon the filling into the strawberries. Chill until ready to serve.

AIP Update: 18 Months In

It’s been a while since I wrote this post, when I was giddy with joy over how the autoimmune protocol and paleo lifestyle had changed my life, but more importantly, over the reduction of my psoriasis patches. 

It took a while – I didn’t notice any SIGNIFICANT changes for about 8 months. But it was worth it. Here’s why. 

Me, with almost no psoriasis left (yay!) (but still a tiny bit)

Where I’m at with reintroductions

Now I’m in month 18 and I felt I ought to explain myself. You might have started seeing me post pictures of runny poached eggs on Instagram, and more egg-based recipes cropping up on the blog. Well, I reintroduced eggs! (yay) – It was my third attempt. I’d tried it as my first reintroduction in early autumn 2013. No chance. Itchy, raised psoriasis within hours. So back onto strict AIP. I tried again Easter time, 2014. The itchy, red skin returned. And then finally I tried again Christmas time and found no effects at all. So: eggs back in. Fantastic news. 

After 18 months, I’m REALLY glad I’ve reintroduced eggs!

So basically, I follow the autoimmune protocol still, but with the following reintroductions now back in: 

• eggs
• seeds
• 2 cups of black or green tea per day
• black pepper
• nightshade spices
• (very rarely) cooked tomatoes
• (sometimes) a small serving of plain boiled white rice
• The very, very occasional spoonful of beans or lentils if it’s in something – but hardly ever

I still experience problems with: 

• nightshade veggies (including raw tomatoes, potatoes, aubergines, etc)
• coffee (can be gluten cross-reactor)
• sugar (apart from small amounts in fruit)
• alcohol (cooked off in stews/pâté is ok)
• dairy – very small amounts of dairy are fine (I’m talking literally nibbles) but generally I avoid it. 

An hour a day in the (cold) sunshine helps heal my psoriasis (and makes me feel better too)!

My health

Generally, my health is great. I’m (for the first time) in the ‘healthy’ band on the doctor’s scale for my height and weight. Even my doctor asked what I’d been doing the last time I saw him because he noticed the difference. 

My psoriasis patches have more or less gone but I still have a small patch under my eyebrow on one eye. On the other eye it’s cleared completely. And to be fair, where it exists it just sometimes looks like a bit of slightly dry skin. No redness. Never itchy. Brilliant. It’s on it’s way out.

There’s a small patch on the nape of my neck which is itchy from time to time, and sometimes a very mild patch on the left side of my scalp that flares up if I get stressed but most of the time it’s under control. It’s COMPLETELY VANISHED from behind my ears, the rest of my scalp (it was all over), elbows, knees, stomach and nose. Fantastic after a year and a half, when I’d suffered with it for 25 years. 

I had my first migraine attack though last month (I was rushed to hospital as they suspected it was a stroke – scary stuff) but after a ride in the CT scanner and lots of prodding about, they told me that as my Mum gets them very severely, that it’s probably genetic. The neurologist I saw was very happy with my diet so he said it was probably also triggered by me skipping meals and waking up and going to bed at weird times (guilty of both). I just have to look after myself from now on and at least I now know when one looks like it’s coming on so I can spot the signs early and go lie down.  

Lifestyle

I’ll be honest – I’ve been struggling with this over the past few months. My sleep patterns aren’t as good as they were and I’ve not been doing yoga as regularly as I should. And I’m surprised at how this on its own can really upset the balance of AIP. I really can tell that a bit of stress totally interferes with my healing, even if I’m eating all the right things. A mental note to get on and sort that out, pretty quick. It’s also winter here in the UK and although we’re getting a bit more sunlight than we were, the cold weather and darkness by dinnertime doesn’t help with my skin. But a daily walk at noon when the sun’s at it’s highest in the sky helps!

So that’s it. Don’t lose heart – if you don’t see any changes to your symptoms straight away then it might take some time. Most of my psoriasis has gone after 18 months (95% of it or more) but I still have some stubborn patches that come and go. And hey – I got to reintroducing eggs after the third attempt 🙂 Share your stories below – how are you getting on with the autoimmune protocol? 

Poached Egg, Smoked Haddock and Spinach

So that’s brunch sorted. 

That there is smoked haddock, some wilted spinach cooked down in just a little coconut oil and salt and a runny poached egg on top. Looks lovely, doesn’t it? Earthy spinach, smoky fish and the bright, silky egg yolk trickling down the lot. 

This recipe is paleo but isn’t AIP, unless you want to skip the egg (or unless you’ve reintroduced them). It’s also gluten, nut and grain-free. 

Poached Egg, Smoked Haddock and Spinach

Serves 1.

Ingredients

1 tsp mild coconut oil (I use flavourless oil)

1 boneless smoked haddock fillet (with no added colourings)

1 handful raw spinach leaves, washed and dried

1 teaspoon cider vinegar

1 egg

Method

First, cook the haddock. Melt the coconut oil in a pan and fry the haddock fillet skin-side down, for about 5-6 minutes, until you can start to see the fish cook from the bottom up. Once the fish has turned opaque three-quarters of the way up, flip it over and cook the other side. 

At the same time you flip the fish over, push it to one side of the pan and drop the spinach leaves in. They will wilt really quickly – just season the spinach with a pinch of salt if it needs it. 

Boil the kettle and pour the boiling water into a deep, wide saucepan – you’ll need it around 5 inches deep at least. Bring back to the boil and drop in the cider vinegar. This will help the egg form as it poaches. Stir the water so it creates a whirlpool in the saucepan and crack the egg and quickly drop it in to the centre of the bubbling water (crack it in a ramekin first if that helps). Poach for 3 minutes, or until you can see that the white has set and the yolk still has ‘bounce’ and is runny. 

Lift the egg out with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen towel. Check the fish is cooked and then serve the spinach with the fish on top and then top with the poached egg. Eat immediately. 

AIP Sweet Potato Garlic Shoestring Fries (Or Fried Swoodles)

Trust me. 

You need these shoestring fries (or fried swoodles – sweet potato noodles) in your life. 

They actually came about as a complete accident, when I didn’t have much fresh veg in the kitchen but I did have some spinach and a white sweet potato. I was also really hungry. “I’ll just give the sweet potato the once over with the julienne peeler and fry it”, I thought – you know, so it cooks really quickly. 

My julienne peeler – it makes strips as it peels (Lakeland)

What I ended up with – after just about 5 minutes – was a tangle of crispy, garlicky and sweet fries. They were crunchy in some places and soft and chewy in others. Honestly. I’m in love. Like, properly in love with these fries. Oh, and use duck fat. You could probably use coconut oil (a mild, flavourless one) or another fat of your choice but DUCK FAT. You’ll thank me later. 

AIP Sweet Potato Garlic Shoestring Fries
Serves 1
Ingredients
1 medium-sized white sweet potato, peeled
2 tbsp duck fat (use coconut or avocado oil to make the recipe vegan or vegetarian)
good pinch of garlic salt

Method
First, spiralise, or run a julienne peeler, if you have one, over your peeled white sweet potato, so you end up with really thin, stick-like pieces. Or run it over a mandolin and then cut by hand into matchstick-like strips. Pop them to one side. 

Next, melt the duck fat in a medium-sized frying pan that has enough room to hold all your sweet potato sticks. Once the fat is hot, over a medium heat (not too hot or they’ll just burn), scatter in the fries and then season straight away with the garlic salt. Stir-fry for 5-6 minutes, until they’re soft and tender and starting to crisp up. Serve as soon as they’re done. 

Here’s the julienne peeler I use to make these shoestring fries – check it out on Amazon here (affiliate link):