Simply Norma

The spring rolls I’ll be presenting can be considered a paleo “cheat”  to some people as they use rice paper.  The inside of the spring roll can have a variety of ingredients added to them so it’s a versatile recipe.

There are a lot of strict paleo-ites who would not eat rice at all as they have no nutritional value.  Instead, the rice adds empty calories to your diet so if you’re trying to lose weight, rice should not be in your diet.

For my ingredients, I used lettuce, carrots, cucumber, scallions and cilantro.  Pretty simple, no?

Our local grocery store had rice paper which surprised me but I was glad I didn’t have to search all over town for it.  They had two different kinds and I purchased the Banh Trang Rice Paper.

The springs rolls I have eaten at restaurants have a peanut sauce either inside the roll or else it’s served with an outside peanut dip.  I decided to use cashew butter instead (paleo-ites don’t eat peanuts).  What I did was take a couple of large tablespoons of cashew butter then I added a little bit of water to liquify it so I can pour it on top of the veggies in the spring rolls.

In order to prepare the rice paper, you need to have a bowl of water that’s either cold or warm that you will put the rice paper in (so it has to have a wide bottom).

The rice paper is very thin.  I put it in my cold water for a couple of seconds then took it out and put it on a plate in preparation to fill it with the veggies.

The picture below appears that I was a bit chintzy with my vegetables.  I added more after I took the picture though.  (Don’t be so judgmental ~ laughing)

After the rice paper is filled with your veggies and sauce, you simply fold it from the bottom to the middle then fold the sides over and finally fold the top over it.  I’m not a pro at it yet but what I did worked for me.

I decided to have a light supper and served these with baked chicken wings.  Yum!!!!

Here’s the recipe for you to view and/or print out.  I know you’ll enjoy them.

Paleo Fresh Spring Rolls

For more paleo recipes, click here.

Having a couple of salmon fillets in the fridge, I was looking for a new recipe and came across this one by Giada De Laurentiis.  You know who she is, right?  In case you don’t, she’s a famous Italian born American chef.

I haven’t tried too many of her recipes but decided to try this one.  However, I didn’t bake my salmon in foil as she hers.  Call me a rebel, again.  At my age (no, I’m not 100 yet) I’m entitled to a little freedom. Actually, we’re all entitled to a little freedom but in the case of recipes we need to make sure we give credit to those who have “gone before us.”   So, make sure you click on the link above if you want to know how to bake the salmon in foil.  Capiche?

Overall, I’d call this an easy recipe.

You start with two salmon fillets ~

Next you’ll be making a mixture with tomatoes (canned or fresh), sliced onions and herbs.

Once the mixture is made, you’ll be layering it over the unbaked salmon.

Then you’ll be baking it for approximately 20 minutes or until the salmon is clear looking on the inside.

Ready to see the recipe?

Paleo Baked Salmon With Tomatoes

I served this salmon with sliced baked potatoes and steamed broccoli.

For additional paleo recipes, click here.

It feels like it’s been a long time since I’ve posted a new recipe.  Spring and summer arrived and I have two young men working with me on our acre so I’ve been been trying to work alongside them when they’re here.

After dinner, exhaustion sets in.  I’m not a spring chicken anymore and this yard work takes a toll on this body.  Bleh.

Come early July most of the yard work will be completed so I’ll have more time to focus on less physically strenuous things.

However, here’s a new recipe for you.  (clap, clap, clap)

I wanted to call this paleo recipe Sweet Potato Salad.  Then I thought, no, let’s call it Egg Salad.

Considering all my options, I decided to combine the two and let both the potatoes and the eggs get their credit ~ Paleo Sweet Potato & Egg Salad.  Whew!  Such hard decisions we have to make.

Making this was a no-brainer as I needed something to go with my baked chicken wings and potato salads are always good with chicken wings.

I first hard boiled 6 eggs.  Do you have a special set time you use to hard boil  your eggs?  I use 7 minutes exactly.  And that’s from when the water starts to boil.

Next I had to find some white sweet potatoes and I was fortunate that I had two in the cupboard.  They looked a little … well, I wasn’t sure they were alive.  (haha)  They looked sad but they worked.

I peeled these potatoes making sure I cut off any parts that looked “too sad” to use.

Then I cut them into small bite-sized pieces.

Next I boiled them until they were firm but tender.  Hmmm … are you confused about what that means?  I used to be but not anymore.  Really all you’re looking for is boiling them until they are a tad soft (yet cooked).  You don’t want them to fall apart in your recipe.

I used a pot that was a little too big for the amount of potatoes I had so I made sure I didn’t use too much water ~ just enough to cover the potatoes.

Next I decided to use some carrots in my salad ~ just to be different.  I took a half carrot, peeled it, sliced it thinly then cut it into 1 inch or so pieces.

Then you’re basically putting everything together once you have the prep work done.

One last note though ~ I use a homemade mayonnaise recipe (click here) but I substitute olive oil instead of the canola oil.

Ready to see the recipe?

Sweet Potato & Egg Salad

For additional paleo recipes, click here.

Chicken, chicken and more chicken …

I purchase a lot of chicken at Costco ~ maybe I should invest in some chicken stock?  Did you get the joke? Chicken … stock … as in, well, no, if you didn’t get it to start I won’t explain it to you. (laughing)

There are a LOT of chicken recipes out there in google-land. This recipe was quite tasty and did not come out dry in the least bit.  I changed the original recipe up just a tad.

I originally thought this was a quick recipe but honestly it took more time than I imagined.  I had calculated from start to finish it would take 30 minutes but it took about an hour. Still, it was well worth my time.

The two primary steps for this recipe are, 1)  browning the chicken on both sides ~

And 2) Broiling the peppers ~

I used a red and yellow pepper for this recipe ~ use what tastes better for you.

The rest of the directions are easy and mundane (mundane is good when it comes to saving time).

Ready to see the recipe?

Chicken Thighs with Roasted Peppers

Hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

For additional paleo recipes, click here.

It’s dark and dreary outside ~ too dreary for a June day in Minnesota. The feeling of blah-ness sinks in as the house gets darker and darker ~ overwhelmed by the trees that cover it and the rain.  I’ve decided not to live like “this” so I turn on lights throughout the house to help cheer me up.  It does.

And the thought of dinner also cheers me up, for what better meal sits well in the belly on dreary days but Beef Stew ~ paleo and baked.  Slow cooking in the oven leaves me free to do other things.

Do you have a comfort food that brings you a sense of calmness on dreary days?

This meal was quick and tasted great!  I decided to share it with you (lucky you and you’re welcome!).

Baked Paleo Beef Stew

Enjoy!

(For additional paleo recipes, click here.)

Here’s a nice side dish of Roasted Mushrooms that I found over at Closet Cooking.  And, they’re paleo ~ woohoo!

Of course, you have to like mushrooms ~ did I ever tell you that I don’t like mushrooms?  But, husband loves mushrooms so occasionally I buy them and later figure out what to do with them.

This recipe is simple and uses few ingredients but you won’t go wrong with it ~

First there’s the mushrooms ~ whichever kind you like …

You’ll be tossing them in oil, salt & pepper then roasting them in an oven.

While all that is happening you’ll be preparing the butter mixture ~

Then you’ll be tossing the roasted mushrooms in the butter mixture with salt and pepper.

And this is how they’ll come out … (except they won’t taste fuzzy ~ laughing)

Want to see the whole recipe?  Head on over to Closet Cooking.  He’s got lots of good recipes so check out his website.

(For additional paleo recipes, click here.)