What To Keep in Your Cave, Part I: Tools

Have you ever been in a situation where you needed something and didn’t have it? Don’t you wish someone had told you before that you needed it so that you wouldn’t find yourself in that situation? I’m sure we all have. Today’s post is all about making sure you’ve got the right tools for the job, right when and where you need them. Though this list is pretty long, I’ll bet dollars to (gluten-free) donuts that you’ve got a good two-thirds of it in your kitchen already. The other third is stuff you probably don’t have room for, can’t afford (yet), or have never even heard of. Aren’t you glad you’ve got me to help you with this stuff? =)

What's the plan, man?

Hey y’all. I know things have been a little quiet around here, but with my daughter’s visit and various other hectic stuff happening for me, I feel as though I’ve (already) let my blog slip through the cracks. So, in an effort to get myself back on track and bring you all the awesomeness I promised, I’ve got a plan. Yup, there I go again with my plans. Those of you who know me know I’m a planner, a perpetual check-it-off-the-list-er, and this, my creative outlet, is no exception.

So here’s the deal: I’ll be bringing you new content nearly every day for the entire month of August, and from Saturday to Tuesday through September (or as long as I can; school starts on Sept. 9^th, and I may have to shift focus at that point- just some fair warning). Each post will build upon the last, giving you a solid foundation for kitchen confidence. Here’s how it’ll go:

Garlic Tilapia with Lemon Caper Butter

So I was looking for a meal I could whip up fast that was bursting with flavor. Enter tilapia: a versatile, easy to cook fish that goes with just about anything and satisfies that craving for something fish-y. The best part of this recipe is that the only forethought it needs is to defrost the tilapia if it's frozen, but even that's not an issue if you get it fresh on your way home. I love how the tartness of the lemon wakes up the taste buds, and the zingy brine from the capers gives 'em a serious flavor kick. The butter is, well, BUTTER, and there's no such thing as too much garlic. My apron says so. =)

Welcome to the Cave!

Hey y'all! Welcome to my cave. I'm happy to (finally) bring you Grok Chick, a collection of recipes, tips, and information about all things cooking and living Primally. For more in-depth info on who I am, what I'm about, and what this blog is about, check out the 'About' and 'Food Philosophy' links above. If you're not interested in any of that fluff, and just wanna dive right into the food, click the 'Recipes' link. The list will be short for now, since this is after all a newborn blog, but it'll be growing quickly, I can assure you!

So kick back, look around, and tell me what you think, especially if you try a recipe. Whether it rocked your world or not so much, I want to hear about it! And if you make changes or your own substitutions that make the dish even better, let me know; I'm always looking for ways to improve my cooking and use new techniques- and don't worry, I always give credit when due. =)

Thanks for visiting my cave, and Grok on!!! =)

~Megan

Salmon en Papilotte

Those of you who know me know what a Francophile I am. That's a fancy way of saying I love all things French. Could I have just said that? Yeah, but it's way more fun to say it fancy. =)

A papilotte is any food that's folded in a pouch or packet and then cooked. If you've ever wrapped anything in foil and thrown it on the grill, you've made a papilotte. This particular recipe was kindly donated by my boyfriend, who makes this on the grill. I make thess in the oven and add a maple mustard sauce. You can put just about anything on salmon, which is probably why it's my favorite fish. Pesto, fresh herbs & lemon, Italian seasoning, sun dried tomatoes, even the right kind of barbecue sauce takes a plain piece of salmon to a whole 'nother level. I like to keep things simple, since I truly enjoy the taste of salmon, so I try not to drown it with too much added flavor. Baking it with onions and apples gives it some oomph without overwhelming it, and the maple mustard sauce gives it a nice tangy kick. Kick, oomph... sounds like a MMA fight in here... ;)

Coconut Pancakes- Dish #3 in the Breakfast Series

My dad did most of the cooking when I was growing up. He didn't make pancakes very often, but when he did... boy howdy, you best believe I made it into an event. Piping hot, stacked high, covered in (gasp!) margarine and (double gasp!) Aunt Jemima, I dove into those things as though they would be made illegal the moment I finished them. One of the few things I do miss on the Primal diet (confession time!) is baked goods. Bread, pasta, cereal, I can do without these. But pancakes, muffins, quick breads (especially my nana's Nana Bread, which is just about the most AMAZING banana bread on the freakin' planet)... these things I truly do miss. So imagine how happy I was to find Primal-approved recipes for pancakes and muffins! [You can check out my recipe for Banana Muffins here.] I practically did a jig... 100 cool points if you can tell me what movie that's from. =)

Bacon 'n' Chive Sweet Tater Salad

Ah, summer. Nothing says it quite like beach days, block parties, and backyard grillin'. At every one of these events you'll undoubtedly see some form of potato salad, that ubiquitous summer side dish, proudly displayed in the Tupperware container that time forgot, nestled next to the corn-on-the-cob and the apple pie. But for us Paleos, what to do? White potatoes are a big no-no, not to mention the canola-oil laden mayo it was no doubt made with. Add even more scary ingredients to it if it was bought at the grocery store deli instead of scratch made... <shudders to imagine>

Well, I'm not counting myself out of the potato salad game, especially if it's got BACON in it. It's summertime, and I reserve the right as an American to eat 'tater salad! Yeah! 'Murica!!! =P

Banana Muffins- Dish #2 in the Breakfast Series

There's nothing quite like a warm, soft muffin for breakfast on a cool fall morning. Or a cool spring morning. Or a hot summer morning. Shoot, there's NO time when a muffin isn't a good idea! Thank the universe for these; made with coconut flour instead of regular flour, they're gluten-free, low-carb, high fiber, and just so dang delicious you'll want to eat them all the time. The other good news: they freeze really well, so you can make a double, triple, or quadruple batch and enjoy them whenever you feel like it!

My Famous Bowl of Win! Dish #1 in the Breakfast Series

You have heard the legend, but you have not experienced the magnificence that is the Bowl of Win. It's amazingly simple, almost ludicrously so, but oh! The flavor... mmm, flavor... <drools a la Homer Simpson>

I've got a variation on this recipe called the Plate of Win- very similar, but different in the most delicious ways. Keep an eye out for that one later on =)

And now, without further ado, the Bowl of Win...