A Paleo Feast

This weekend I had time to do something I hadn't done in a while...cook!  I don't meat brown some turkey meat and add taco seasoning.  I don't mean CrockPot.  I don't mean throw some stuff on the grill.  I mean hours in the kitchen with the radio on and everything from scratch cook! My inspiration came from this FastPaleo recipe and lots of fresh summer produce.

Paleo Pesto Shrimp Portobellos (too bad it was not prawns for alliteration to the 4th degree!)
8 servings
ingredients
olive oil
8 large portobello mushrooms
1/2 cup additional mushrooms, diced
1 yellow onion, diced
1 can/jar artichoke hearts, chopped
1 tbsp garlic, minced
2 cups fresh spinach leaves
2 lbs small shrimp, peeled and deveined (My shrimp were large, so I cut them up into halves or thirds)
salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp pesto: 2 cups basil leaves, 1 tsp garlic, 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts, 2 tsp lemon juice, 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper.  Add all ingredients to food processor and stream in olive oil until smooth and creamy.

directions
De-stem and take gills off the mushrooms and place upside down in a baking dish.  Chop up the stems and add them to the other 1/2 cup of mushrooms.

Heat olive oil in a very large skillet. Add onion, diced mushrooms, artichoke hearts, and garlic to the skillet.  Salt and pepper.  Cook until the onion is translucent.  Add spinach leaves and cook until they are wilted.  Add shrimp.  Salt and pepper again.  Cook until shrimp just turn pink.  Add 2 tbsp pesto and mix until everything is coated.  Remove skillet from heat.

Spoon 1/8th of the shrimp mixture into each mushroom cap.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Smothered Summer Squash
8 servings
ingredients
a whole lotta summer squash, sliced (I used an entire plastic shopping bag full)
1 yellow onion, diced
1 tbsp garlic salt
1-2 tsp black pepper
1-2 tsp oregano
olive oil

directions
Heat olive oil in very large sauteed pan. Add onion and cook until soft.  Add squash and seasonings.  Stir.  Add a little water.  Put a lid on the pan and turn heat down to med-high.  Stir every so often until squash are to the tenderness of your liking.  If you cook them too long, they will be mush.

Tomato, Avocado, Cucumber, and Pepper Salad
8 servings
ingredients
2 large cucumbers, cut into chunks
2 large avocados, cut into chunks
4 large tomatoes, seeded and cut into chunks
2 bell peppers (I used a yellow and an orange), sliced
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
3/4 cup olive oil
1 tbsp garlic salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp basil
2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

directions
Make vinaigrette by combining the red wine vinegar and spices in the food processor, then streaming in the olive oil.  Add cucumbers, tomatoes, avocados, peppers, and vinaigrette to a large bowl and toss.  Chill in the refrigerator before serving. 


The basil, cucumbers, and squash were all homegrown and delicious! Not to toot my own horn, but this meal was pretty good.  Every part was tasty, but that tomato, avocado, pepper, and cucumber salad was probably my favorite.  There was quite a bit leftover and I've had it on the side of scrambled eggs for the past 3 mornings.

My parents and some friends came over to partake in the Paleo-riffic smorgasbord.  At first, they were skeptical about a Paleo meal, but by the time dinner was over, they were convinced they could adopt a Paleo lifestyle.  Well, except for my dad, who complained the next day that there had been nothing sweet.  Now you know where I get my sweet tooth.

Also enjoyed was a Paleo friendly cocktail, but you will have to wait until Thursday for that recipe. :)


What inspires your meals?  Seasonal produce? What's on sale?  Recipes from magazines?