A Dinner in the Zone: Hearty Paleo-Zone Chili on Roasted Portobello Mushroom Caps with Crunchy Slaw

Those of you Zoning with me may be a little sick of the piecemeal, thrown together meals we often fall back on.  The ease of just finding a Protein source from the list, Carb source from the list, and Fat source from the list and combining odd choices just to get the balanced blocks can take it's toll on your meal-time satisfaction.

But I am here to offer another option: cooking a Zone meal that will make many dinners to come as easy as portioning and reheating.  And did I mention that it's filling AND delicious?  Sometimes with the calorie reduction inherent in the Zone Diet and the emphasis on fruit and starchier carbs for easier blockage, people feel hungry all the time and starved.  This meal utilizes lower glycemic ingredients (vegetables) to satisfy you at the end of a long day of weighing and measuring. And it's filling whether you're eating only a two-block portion or a five-blocker.  Yes, eating well CAN actually happen on the Zone!

THE MEAL

I began my Paleo-Zone challenge last Saturday and will post my food log soon, but for now, let me share with you this amazing meal I've had for dinner this week.  And with the amount my husband and I made, we'll probably still be having this meal well into next week :)  This meal is Hearty Paleo-Zone Chili on Roasted Portobello Mushroom Caps with Crunchy Slaw spooned on top (all recipes follow).  It's delicious and hearty--which is no simple task when cooking and eating on the Zone.  At two blocks or five, this meal will fill you!

The chili is a rich and spicy mix of vegetables and grass-fed beef.  It is FILLING, which is the perfect quench for end-of-day hunger, and it's warming to combat chilly evenings.  I was inspired by paleo chilis that hold the beans, Alton Brown's amazing Pressure Cooker Chili (sans the pressure cooker for us) that turned us on to using chopped beef instead of ground beef, and the Chan's Chili recently posted in the CrossFit Journal, which helped us Zone proportion our chili. Whether you Zone or not, this chili is amazing and you definitely won't miss the beans. 

Instead of straying off the Paleo Diet for rice or tortillas, I serve the chili on Roasted Portobello Mushroom Caps that add a meaty base.  SO much more filling than rice or tortilla, these mushrooms are a great base for any meaty sauce.  The chunky, silky texture of the chili is complemented perfectly by crunchy, lime and onion slaw I call Crunchy Slaw.  It is SO easy to make and adds that taste and crunch that definitely kicks the chili up another notch. 

For the recipes below, I used P, F, C to stand for Protein, Fat, and Carb, which the Zone Diet uses to balance food.  A block of Protein = 7g protein, a block of Fat = 1.5-3g depending on the fattiness of the Protein, and a block of Carb = 9g after fiber is subtracted.  For Zone Block charts, check out this compiled list: http://www.mitymous.net/weights/zoneblox.htm

NOTE: there is definitely some flexibility to these measurements as some of the foods I used below have different measurements based on different Zone block lists.  Since this meal is mostly veggies, I am not going to fuss about which count is correct and whether I have measured it precisely.  The Zone is enough effort just to weigh and measure everything.  In this case, allow yourself some leeway on the veggie counting and err on the side of MORE.  :)

Without further ado, here are the recipes!

Hearty Paleo-Zone Chili--this is only one of three containers we filled to the brim!

Hearty Paleo-Zone Chili

Definitely not for a quick meal, this endeavor will provide you with chili to feed an army or yourselves for a week (maybe two?) on the Zone.  The medley of grass-fed beef, assorted vegetables, and spices will heartily fill and warm your belly. 

Prep Time: 1hr give or take your mad knife skills and helpers

Cook Time: 2-3+hrs, slow cooker for the day/night or stovetop for a few hours until tender and delicious.

Quantity: see Our Totals below.  You can use the ingredients in your own proportions to make the quantity you desire.  We're going for a 2P:1C:1F ratio so you can serve this on Roasted Portobello Mushroom Caps with Crunchy Slaw on top.

Ingredients:

NOTE: I'll give what makes a block and how much we used, but you have to be your own guide for making this Zoned to meet your desired quantity and taste.

• yellow onions, chopped (1.5c = 1C, 10 onions gave us 10c = ~6C)
• mushrooms, chopped (3c = 1C, one container of sliced mushrooms = 3C and we used 4 = 4C)
• can of crushed tomatoes (with Basil) (check your label, ours was 1/2c = 1C and we used (2) 28oz. cans or 10C)
• zucchini, chopped (2c = 2C, we used 6 small ones and got 8 cups or 4C)
• grass-fed chuck roast, chopped (1oz = 1P and we used 56oz = 56P)
• container of salsa (check your label, ours was 1/2c = 1C and we used 2c = 4C)
• cumin
• chili powder
• salt
• pepper
• garlic powder
• olive oil (1T = 9B and we used 3T = 27F)
• optional: chili peppers or other heat multipliers (NOTE: the chili powder and cumin made this pretty spicy on their own, so play around with it to your taste)
• a writing instrument and sheet of paper to record your amounts and calculations

Our Totals: 56P, 28C, and 28F is a 2:1:1 ratio, so we need to add a Carb and Fat to every portion of chili.  That is perfect for a serving with Roasted Portobello Mushroom Caps (1/2C, 1F) and Crunchy Slaw (1/2C) (see recipes that follow).  Our finished batch was 187oz. and dividing by the 56P that went into the pot gives us 3.33oz for 1P, 1/2C, 1/2F.  Your batch will vary on your ingredients and finished thickness and weight, so do your own math on this one.  Sorry, Zone cooking isn't a piece of cake, but it is well worth the effort to not stress about dinner for a week (or more)! :)

Method:

Chop till you are blue in the face.  You should start on the onions and add them to a large stock pot set over medium high heat and coated with olive oil (1T worked) and a little salt.  I like to season as I add new ingredients into the pot, a lesson learned from years of watching Emeril as he bammed the crap out of his dishes.  Stir the onions every time you add more to the pot and add more oil if they start to stick.  Record how many cups of onions you use and keep a running tally of the oil.  Remember to try to be frugal with the oil if you want to stick to plain Jane Zone. Those of you lean enough to be using Fat multipliers can have more flexibility--damn you ;).

Meanwhile, a second pair of hands can chop the chuck roast into tiny bits, cutting out any really awful sinewy parts if desired.  Once that's cut, weigh it to use your desired amount and write that number down so you can figure out total blocks later on.  Using another skillet, coat with olive oil (1T worked) and brown the beef (use multiple batches so you only have one layer of meat in the pan, add more oil for each batch--it took us two batches using a big skillet).

Next, to the onions in the stockpot, add the sliced mushrooms (I bought them already sliced, so no prep there!--measure them out if you want to be precise, but for each styrofoam-like container it was about 3c).  Stir and cook them down.  We're looking for translucent if not browning onions and reduced size in the mushrooms as they cook.

The first pair of hands can move on to chopping the zucchini or you can get to it after the meat is done.  Measure out how much you use by the cupful.

Once the meat is done, add it to the stock pot (batch by batch is fine), then add the zucchini, tomatoes, salsa, and spices.  For the spices, be your own judge based on how much you are making at once.  Remember, it's always easier to add more heat later than find Zoneable ways to reduce it after the fact. Unfortunately sour cream and guacamole are Fats that will easily devour your blocks unless you allot them.  Let your chili reduce over Medium heat until you like the thickness, then Low for as long as you like to meld the flavors and tenderize the beef and veggies.

Once done, you have one more fun task: measuring the result of your labor of love.  We tried to be sneaky and weigh the empty pot, then the full pot, but the pot was too heavy for the scale :(  So we weighed storage containers and then filled them, took their weight and got the whole picture the hard way.  You could also measure by Pyrex liquid measure as you remove the chili from the pot and place in storage containers.  Either way, from that number of total weight, divide it into total blocks of Protein and figure out ounces or cups per block of Protein.  From our ingredients, we came up with a 2:1:1 ratio and found that 3.3oz. gives us 1P, 1/2C, 1/2F.  Yours will vary based on the quantities and thickening of your chili.

We served ours over Simple Roasted Cauliflower (3c =1C, plus a little fat) or Roasted Portobello Mushroom Caps (1/2C) (recipe follows) with Crunchy Slaw (1/2C) (last recipe) on top.  

Roasted Portobello Mushroom Caps

For a meaty base perfect to hold chili, burgers, ragout, or anything else you desire, try better-than-bread roasted portobello mushrooms!

Cooking Time: 15min+, really as long as you like to get them tender and juicy

Quantity: 2-3 roasted caps, depending upon size, is about 1/2C if 3 cups = 1C

Ingredients:

• Silpat

or parchment paper and baking sheet

• portobello mushroom caps (rinsed and stems removed) (3c = 1C, so 2-3 caps after roasting seemed like 1/2C)--NOTE: make extra so that you have meals for a few nights.  The mushrooms will keep well sealed up in the refrigerator.
• olive oil (1/3t = 1F), optional
• salt 
• pepper

Method:

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with Silpat or parchment paper so you don't have to use fat to grease the pan.  Place mushrooms on the sheet, gills up.  Sprinkle caps with salt and pepper and drizzle on the olive oil you need to accumulate your desired fat blocks.  If you don't have any fat to spare, the caps are fine without any oil.  The liner is our insurance :) Place the sheet in the oven and bake until juicy and tender.  These are perfect to make in bulk while you are preparing and cooking the chili!  Afterwords, you'll have a delicious base to your chili that is spoon tender, meaty, and filling!

Crunchy Slaw

The perfect crunchy slaw for your spicy dish!

Prep Time: 5-10min tops

Quantity: Made enough for at least 4-6 plates, so about 1/2C for each serving. 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 head of cabbage (4c = 1C)
• 1/2 onion (1.5c = 1C)
• 1/2 bunch of cilantro (unless you are using a bucketful, it's unlikely you'll come close to a block)
• 1 lime, juiced (1C)

Total Blocks = 3C

Method:

Chop the cabbage, onion, and cilantro as finely as desired and mix well.  Add lime juice and mix again.  There you have it!  This is a perfect, crunchy, tasty accompaniment to tacos/chili/anything Mexican inspired!

So there is your meal: Hearty Paleo-Zone Chili served on Roasted Portobello Mushroom Caps with Crunchy Slaw on top!  Here's to enjoying what you eat on the Paleo-Zone Diet!

Given Up Bread--Think Again!

No, you have not entered the Twilight Zone.  Bread can be had paleo-style with such simplicity and omg results that perhaps we are in another dimension!  I call this dimension Dangerously Delicious Delectables!

What's the danger?  Well, gluttony for one.  It is hard not to over-indulge with something so hard-wired into our brains as bread (dude--it was an essential part of my every meal growing up in New Jersey suburbia).  When I first made a loaf, I totally sat down and ate half of it.  No kidding.  I was just crazy with glee that bread could be had while not breaking the tenets of no sugar, no grains, and no dairy.

Here is my inspiration: Elana's Pantry's Gluten Free Sandwich Bread.  Her recipe creates a great bread, but to me, I wanted more flavor and rise since mine came out more biscotti-shaped than loaf-like.  I don't have a mini loaf pan or her mail-order almond meal, so perhaps that led to a good, but not great loaf.

I wanted to create a bread the masses could enjoy (paleo and non-paleo alike) with store bought almond flour/meal (I use Trader Joe's since it is the cheapest and that stuff can get quite pricey!) and a flavor profile I have been dying for.  Onion Bread.  Oh yeah, it is just like, nay, BETTER than that onion bagel you probably haven't had in years or that soft onion bread that makes a to-die-for sandwich bread.  And ready in 45 minutes with minimal prep and cleanup--doesn't get much better than this!  Sink your canines into:

(shown toasted and crunchy!)

Paleolicious Onion Bread
Dare you to try this and not close your eyes and revel in its soft, moist onion-breadiness!
Cooking Time: about 45 minutes start to finish!

The Dry
2 c almond flour/meal (I used Trader Joe's)
1 c arrowroot powder (you can find this at New Leaf and perhaps Whole Foods in the bulk bins)
1/2 t salt
1 t baking soda
2 t cream of tartar
1 T dried onion
1/4 t (or 10 fine grinds) of black pepper

The Wet
4 eggs (room temperature or place in lukewarm water while you prepare so they come to room temp)
1/2 c extra virgin olive oil
1/2 c or 4 stalks of scallions/green onions, chopped thinly

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Grab your loaf pan and cut two pieces of parchment paper to line the pan: one should span the narrow sides and extend past the lip and the second should do the same on the wide sides.  Why?  No mess!  No worry about stickage!  You can just pull the tabs to remove the loaf when finished without playing pop out the loaf onto the floor as you shake it or jimmy it out of there.  Definitely a time and effort saver!  I just cut two pieces of parchment to accomplish this, but here is another way that creates a pattern out of the parchment.  I will have to try this next time!

Ready for the action?  It is so easy it is embarrassing.  Add the dry ingredients to a large bowl (Note: to avoid the use of a sifter with the cream of tartar that likes to clump, just break it up between your fingers as you add it).  Mix well.  Add the wet ingredients to a second bowl.  Mix well and get some air into those eggs by whisking with a whisk or fork to create some bubbles.  Hey, since we can't use baking powder (contains corn) and don't want to bother with whipping egg whites, we'll take all the leavening we can get!  Now for the hard part.  Just kidding!  Dump the wet into the dry and mix to incorporate.  Now scoop into your loaf pan being careful to keep your parchment liners in place, and whack it in the oven for 30-40 minutes.  I turned my oven up to 355 upon adding the loaf so that it would kick on.  Check at 30 minutes (or 25 if your oven errs on the hot side).  You are looking for a hard top crust and a skewer that comes out mostly if not completely clean.  There should be NO wiggle to the loaf.  Once done, remove from the loaf pan and set on a wire rack to cool for a good hour or so.  Slice and enjoy once you can wait no longer!  Store in the refrigerator wrapped in paper towels and placed in a plastic bag.  It'll last a week (or more?) if you can ;)

Endless Serving Suggestions:

Yeah, go ahead and have that sandwich you have been dying for.  Now you don't have to feel guilty!

Oh, imagine it dipped in Basic Meat Sauce (perhaps with the addition of some veggies to make the sauce a meal)!

Or, if you are indulging on dairy, slather it in raw, grass fed butter!

How I have been indulging lately:

Yes, those are farmer's market eggs and Aidell's chicken apple sausage (processed yes, but still fits the requirements and is really good) atop toasted slices of Paleolicious Onion Bread.  Oh yeah!

Bread Worth Craving

As a paleo dieter, bread is out.  Grains are the enemy, and "eat meat, not wheat" is our battle cry.  However, I have found a bread to fill the void.  It is one that I actually prefer over all but the most crusty and homemade of breads.  Rival to naan in its simplicity, versatility, and delectability.  I give you Flaxbread!

Italian Flaxbread

inspired by Paleo Focaccia, Sandwiches and Cakes by Nikki Young.   
Cooking Time: less than 30 minutes

2 cups ground flaxseeds (store these in the freezer since they go rancid easily)
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cream of tartar (see NOTE)
4 eggs (room temperature is best, so put out early or warm in a warm water bath)
1/2 C water or chicken broth
1/3 C olive oil with Italian Seasoning Mix mixture leftover from Roasted Turkey Breast


Italian Seasoning Mix:

3 sun dried tomatoes (chopped), 1T each of rosemary (crushed), oregano, basil, kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder/chopped dried onion, 1tsp each of pepper, red pepper flakes
(NOTE: make more of this seasoning than you need, add olive oil, and store in the refrigerator for other uses like salad dressing and Roasted Turkey Breast seasoning)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and combine the wet ingredients in one bowl and the dry in the other.  Mix each well.  Add the wet to the dry and mix to evenly incorporate the ingredients.  Using a baking sheet lined with parchment or silpat, scoop out the batter and distribute over the sheet.  Using a spatula, try to make a nice even layer without holes.  This is difficult since the batter is sticky!  Wack it in the oven for about 20 minutes and see where it is around 15 minutes in.  You are looking for browning on the bottom of the edges and a more golden look to the surface of the bread.  Once finished, cut into slices, cool on a rack, and then store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Uses:

Sandwich bread--this flavorful bread beats wheat bread hands down

Bread to accompany spaghetti night or curry night (try using an Indian spice mix instead of Italian)

Snacking

Open-faced sandwiches


Since this is nearly ALL fat, try to use it with meals that don't have any other fat or when you are splurging paleo style.  Making your meat without using fat such as on the grill or searing in a pan will allow you more leeway with fats in other parts of the meal, such as this bread.  This is definitely worth the indulgence!

NOTE: The original recipe from the paleo cookbook called for baking powder.  Baking powder is not technically paleo since it is made from corn.  Another alternative to using baking soda and cream of tartar is to whip the eggs into stiff peaks and fold them into the batter, or add baking soda and an acid to make it work, perhaps a honey bread, cocoa bread, or lemon bread.  The first picture is from an experiment in that realm using coconut milk.  I think this would make a great sweet application, so more experimentation is needed.

Lunch Time!

Now that school is back in session, parents and students alike need nutritious lunch ideas.  Here are some tips to keep you and your kids eating healthy lunches while not making you slave in the kitchen for their preparation.  The key is making sure each meal has healthy carb, protein, and fat.  The balance will create longer lasting satiety and won't leave you with highs and lows in energy.

Healthy carb choices: carrots, berries, apples, grapes, kiwis, salad greens, virtually any fruit and veggie you can think of except for beans/legumes of any kind, starchy potatoes (save those for an occasional dinner or post workout dish), and use high glycemic fruits rarely like bananas, melons, mangos, and the like.  High glycemic fruits will just leave you hungry a couple of hours later anyway, so keep them to a rare treat.

Healthy meat choices: fish, lean meats (including eggs, beef, poultry, game, pork, etc.), shellfish, sausages that don't have sugar (note: evaporated cane juice is still sugar), grains, or dairy in their ingredients.  Use fatty meats rarely rather than regularly (ex. bacon).  Soy products are out since they are soybean derived and highly processed.  Avoid deli meats for excessive salt and processing.

Healthy fat choices: nuts, seeds, olive oil, olives, avocado.  Avoid overly processed oils like canola or vegetable oil or oils from foods we avoid like soybean or peanut oil (peanuts are legumes).

Another key to eating paleo-style is eating minimally processed, whole foods.  If you buy a processed item in a bag, can, or jar--check the ingredients closely!  Don't allow soy products, grains, or sugar to creep into your diet.  Try to buy products with short ingredient lists and ingredients you can understand.  You and your family's health and performance will benefit from the effort you take to eat right.  

Here is a quick, easy lunch recipe that will give you meals for the week:

Roasted Turkey Breast

Great cold or warm and less than an hour to make start to finish!

ingredients:

1 split turkey breast, bone in, skin on (the bigger, the better) (NOTE: the picture shows two smaller ones I made for a double batch)

1-2 part olive oil

1 part seasoning mix (see choices or create your own!)

Potluck Seasoning Mix:

1T each of garlic powder, oregano, rosemary (crushed), thyme, basil, paprika, kosher salt

1tsp each pepper, crushed red pepper flakes

Italian Seasoning Mix:

3 sun dried tomatoes (chopped), 1T each of rosemary (crushed), oregano, basil, kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder, 1tsp each of pepper, red pepper flakes

(NOTE: make more of this seasoning than you need, add olive oil, and store in the refrigerator for other uses like salad dressing and flaxbread seasoning 


UPDATE 4/13/2010
Spicy Garlic Mix: 
(for one huge turkey breast or 2 small)
1T garlic powder (be generous)
20 grinds of black pepper (who really measures ground black pepper easily?)
1/2T kosher salt
1/2tsp or more of red pepper flakes/crushed red pepper
2-4T extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 425 or 450 degrees (depends on how accurate your oven is and trial and error results).  Mix seasoning with olive oil to create a paste.  Start with 1 to 1 ratio of seasoning to oil and increase oil if necessary to make it wet enough to spread.  To avoid contamination, if you are keeping any of the seasoning for another use, set aside in another container; don't keep any extra from turkey application!  Loosen the skin of the turkey by gently pulling it up and running your hand underneath to create a pocket.  Try not to tear more holes in it than the hand opening.  Also, open the cavity between the breast and tender with your hand to expose more surface area for the rub.  Get underneath or cut that layer of skin/connective tissue? on top of the tender.  For large breasts, I like to cut another layer in the thickest parts so that more seasoning can be distributed.  Rub oil mixture on turkey under skin, over skin, and in cavity between breast and tender--all over.  Roast uncovered in a baking dish for 45min (start checking at 35min for 150 degree internal temp or sooner if turkey is small) at 425/450 degrees.  I pull  mine at 150 degrees to allow for carry-over and juiciness, but most references say 165 minimum for safety.  For me that is dry as toast, but I strongly caution you to follow my lead only at your own risk.  I assume no responsibility.  I am pretty confident my turkey comes from a good source; I don't buy mine at Costco or Safeway.  Let the turkey rest before slicing/serving.  Refrigerate once cooled in an airtight container and it will last a week.

Uses:

Turkey Breast Salad--heap a ton of greens into a bowl/container, measure turkey and add to salad, add dressing (olive oil and balsamic vinegar or lemon juice is simple and delicious), and any other veggies, berries, or fruit or serve on the side.

Turkey Breast Sandwich--serve between flaxbread with some veggies and/or fruit on the side.

Turkey Breast a la carte--serve with cut up veggies and/or fruit and nuts/seeds/avocado to create a balanced meal

Turkey Breast omelet or frittatta--add as another protein source to an omelet or frittatta

Enjoy!