Christmas Shopping

Cast Iron Paleo (Amazon link) by Pamela Ellgen

A recent cookbook I was sent (in exchange for telling you about it) has become an instant classic in my kitchen. How could it not? It fits perfectly in my wheelhouse:

• I have to eat gluten free and aim for three “Paleo” days a week. Paleo is inherently gluten-free, but it also eliminates sugar and dairy – making it one of the healthiest ways to eat. Why, then, do I not commit fully to the Paleo diet? Because potatoes.  Because Pasta. Because Cereal. Mostly… Because Potatoes.
• My cast iron skillets are the cornerstone of my kitchen. My main cast iron skillet sits on the stove at all times – ready for duty at a moment’s notice. My Cast Iron Grill Pan and smaller Cast Iron Skillets are perched on a nearby shelf, also ready for their “calls to action.”

It’s almost as though this cookbook were created for me personally.

Anyone who follows a gluten-free diet knows it can be a bit of a challenge to find recipes that address our personal needs. Can you imagine how much tougher it is, then, to find recipes for a Paleo diet?! That’s like taking our needs and doubling them.

Thankfully, there are great cookbooks (just like this one) that take the stress out of the equation and simplify cooking. Come on, life’s stressful enough – we don’t need extra hassles in the kitchen, right?

Here’s the think, fellow foodies, you don’t even have to follow a Paleo diet religiously or even “part-time” to enjoy… make that love.... Cast Iron Paleo (Amazon link). Think about it, we ALL should be cooking more healthy meals and less unhealthy ones, right?

Cookbooks like this are golden on two fronts:

1. They inspire us to cook healthier meals for our family.
2. They’re filled with so many flavorful and delicious recipes that we’ll keep on pulling from them for more meals – and our family will love us for it.

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Just a Few of the Flavorful and Creative Recipes

The first recipe I made from Cast Iron Paleo (Amazon link) was the Meatloaf on page 133. I normally make my meatloaf with gluten-free breadcrumbs but this particular recipe didn’t even call for them! It uses ground beef, pork, eggs, a few seasonings, and vegetables…. mixed and placed in an iron skillet, then topped with 6 slices of bacon.

I went with a basket-weave pattern with my bacon because it was Monday and I was feeling artsy. Yes, that qualifies as artsy for me.

I honestly didn’t know what to expect. The entire time the meatloaf was cooking, I kept thinking, “But no breadcrumbs?…. But no breadcrumbs?… but.. but…” My meatloaf anxiety was through the roof. But frequent peeks into the oven showed me (again and again) that all was well and the meatloaf was coming together beautifully.

I will say this, if you buy this cookbook (and you really, really should), this particular recipe does not mention an oven temperature. I simply went with the one I use for my regular meatloaf recipe, 350 degrees for the specified time (1 to 1-1/2 hours) and it did beautifully. All the other recipes gave specified temperatures. Perhaps the cookbook printer was sidetracked like me – “But no breadcrumbs?…. But no breadcrumbs?… but.. but…”

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Gluten-Free and Paleo Meatloaf – Look, Ma, No Breadcrumbs!

Chapter One gives a beautiful primer on cast iron skillets: benefits, history, seasoning, care, etc.  Basically, anything you need to know about owning cast iron skillets is right there in one brief chapter.

Chapter Two lays out for the reader the dos and dont’s of the Paleo lifestyle. What to eat (and why) and what not to eat (and why).

After the first two chapters, you get to the meat of the matter (sorry, couldn’t help myself), the wonderful recipes. It’s been my experience that Paleo cookbooks (for whatever reasons) are always just filled with creatively flavorful recipes. Perhaps, since the Paleo cook’s resources are a little different that other’s, they look at food a bit differently. I can’t put my finger on it, but Paleo cookbooks are flat out packed with flavor and I’m loving every second of it.

Recipes Include:

• Sausage and Sweet Potato Hash
• Green Beans with Caramelized Shallots (would be amazing for Thanksgiving and Christmas!)
• Pan-Roasted Carrots and Onions
• Sauteed Mushrooms
• Sesame-Crusted Tuna
• Pan-Seared Salmon Over Mixed Greens
• Lemon Garlic Aioli
• Rustic Chicken Pot Pie
• Maple Almond Pork Chops
• Swedish Meatballs
• Kale Carbonara
• Marinated Steak Fajitas
• Guacamole
• Flat Iron Steaks with Mushrooms
• Tomato Rosemary Burgers
• Bacon-Wrapped Filet Mignon with Vegetables
• Braised Short Ribs
• Berry Cobbler
• Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
• Cast Iron Apple Pie
• Black-Bottom Chocolate Cake
• And more!

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First of all, Cast Iron Paleo, alone, would be a great gift any foodie would appreciate – especially a foodie who eats gluten-free or Paleo. However, if you wanted to “step up your game,” you could gift this cookbook along with a great cast iron skillet. My own personal preference is Lodge Cast Iron Skillets (Amazon link). Come to think of it, every cast iron skillet (I have an obsession, guys, I’m not lying) and grill pan I have is Lodge.

Read more about Cast Iron Paleo (Amazon link) on Amazon today.