Grain-Free Cooking
Eat what you love. That's the message from cookbook author Danielle Walker. She's the author of four bestselling cookbooks. Her new one is called "Eat What You Love." She shares some grain-free swaps for her favorite dishes.
Shrimp Fried Rice
1 1/2 pounds jumbo raw shrimp, peeled and deveined, with tails removed.
6 TBSP coconut aminos
2 TBSP toasted sesame oil
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
5 TBSP avocado oil
1/2 small yellow onion, minced
3 gloves garlic, minced
2 Tsp peeled and minced fresh ginger
1 carrot, diced
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/4 Tsp fine sea salt
1/4 cup frozen peas
2 green onions, tender green tops only, chopped
Combine the shrimp, 1 tbs of coconut aminos, and 1 tbs of sesame oil in a bowl.
Place the cauliflower in a food processor fitted with grating attachment, or use the large holes in a box grater, and process the florets into rice-sized pieces.
Pick out any large fragments that didn't shred and chop them up by hand with a knife or save for another use. You should have around 3 cups riced cauliflower.
Heat 2 tbs of the avocado oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, ginger and cook, stirring continuously with wooden spoon for 2 minutes, until fragrant. Add carrot and cook, stirring continuously, for 2 minutes.
Add remaining 3 tbs avocado oil and cauliflower and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 minutes or more.
Transfer the cauliflower mixture to a plate and return the wok to the heat.
Add the shrimp mixture to the wok and sear for 1 minute per side, until pink all over and just cooked through. Transfer the shrimp to the plate with the cauliflower and return wok to the heat.
Pour the eggs into the work and stir to scramble them for 10 seconds, until mostly cooked through. Pour the cauliflower mixture and shrimp back into the wok and add remaining 5 tbs coconut aminos, the remaining 1 tbs sesame oil and salt. Stir in peas and cook for 1 minute longer.
Top with green onions. Serve immediately.
Chicken Parmesan with Roasted Spaghetti Squash
1 (3 pounds) spaghetti squash
Fine sea salt
Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing and drizzling
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 lbs)
2 eggs (see Tidbits)
1 1/2 cups blanched almond flour
1 cup parmesan cheese (page 315)
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried thyme
2 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 cups marinara sauce
2 Tbs melted ghee
Chopped fresh basil, for garnish
Preheat oven to 350F.
Lightly grease a rimmed baking sheet with extra-virgin olive oil. Slice the ends off the squash, then cut it crosswise into 2-inch rings. Run a knife around the interior of each rim to remove the seeds, or use a spoon to scrape them out.
Set a wire rack on the counter, line with a few paper towels, and set the squash rounds on top. Sprinkle both sides of the squash liberally with salt and let the rounds sit for 15 minutes to release some of their moisture. Wipe away the excess salt and moisture, brush both sides of the squash with oil, and arrange the rounds around the outer edges of the baking sheet, leaving an open space in the center.
Meanwhile, place each chicken breast between two pieces of parchment paper or plastic wrap. Using a kitchen mallet or heavy skillet, pound the chicken breasts until they're about 1/2 inch thick.
In a shallow bowl, lightly beat the eggs. in a separate shallow bowl, combine the almond flour, 1/3 cup of Parmesan, 1 tsp salt, the oregano, basil, thyme, and 1/2 tsp of garlic powder. One at a time, dip the chicken breasts into the egg, allowing any excess to drip back into the bowl, then dip into the almond flour mixture, turing to coat each piece and shaking off any excess. Place the chicken pieces on the baking sheet and lightly drizzle with oil.
Bake the chicken and squash for 30 minutes, until the breading is golden brown. Pour about 1/4 cup of the marinara sauce over each chicken breast and top with 1/3 cup Parmesan. Return the pan to the oven and bake for about 10 minutes more, until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of each breast reads 165F and the sauce is heated through.
Use a fork to pull the spaghetti-like strands away from the insides of the spaghetti squash rounds. Place into a bowl and toss with the ghee, the remaining 2 tsp garlic powder, and 1/2 tsp salt.
Divide the "noodles" among plates and top each with a piece of chicken. Spoon any additional sauce from the baking sheet over the top and sprinkle with the remaining 1/3 cup Parmesan and the basil.
Tidbits: to make this EF, substitute 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil for the eggs