tex-mex mix up

Cold weather always makes me crave Tex-Mex. The power of queso and baked avocados always seems to warm me from the inside out. Since I decided to try the paleo-lifestyle for the next few weeks, I thought the best way to get my salsa fix would be to swap tortillas for lettuce. Use this recipe as an opportunity to mix up your Mexican rituals by using fresh mango, baby bella mushrooms, grilled pineapple or whatever else you can find in the fridge. A great dish to clean out the fridge or savor over a hot, summer night when only a light meal will do. Pair with an ice cold margarita and a good friend to send the winter blues into another season.

Paleo-Style Shrimp Tacos

4 Romaine lettuce leaves

1/2 lb. shrimp

1 avocado, sliced

1 garlic clove, minced

1 sweet bulb onion, chopped

3 Tbsp. Cilantro, chopped

1/4 c baby bella mushrooms, chopped

1/4 c roma tomatoes, diced

2 Tbsp. EVOO

Pinch of Salt

Pinch of Pepper

1. Over medium-high heat, sauté the garlic and onions in EVOO until tender with salt and pepper to taste. Add shrimp and cook until pink. Add mushrooms and tomatoes to finish.

2. Place shrimp and vegetables in single romaine leaf. Add avocado, cilantro and salt and pepper to taste. For a spicy kick, add salsa.

paleo pasta

New year, new resolutions. I usually don’t jump the trend train and throw everything out of my cupboard that doesn’t have GF next to it or decide to live a vegan lifestyle, but for 2014, I was inspired to go Paleo. What’s Paleo? Basically sans all grains, dairy and legumes to focus on meat and veggies. Why? To go back to simpler times and to see if processed foods really are as bad for you as they say (but that’s why they are so delicious, right?). So far, so good. I have had more energy than ever before for my high-intensty spin class, I haven’t had a desire to snack and that nagging Texas cold finally seemed to pass. I packed up my new Williams-Sonoma paderno spiralizer, a sack of zucchini and a bottle of Cab for a different kind of date night dish.

Paleo Spaghetti

4 zucchinis, peeled

1 lb. ground beef

1 sweet bulb onion, chopped

1 clove of garlic, minced

1 c baby bella mushrooms, chopped

1 Tbsp. EVOO

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

Tomato Sauce

1. In a medium-hot pan, saute garlic and onion in EVOO until tender. Brown ground beef. Add mushrooms, salt and pepper and continue to sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add tomato sauce and let simmer for one hour.

2. Using a spiralizer or potato peeler, shoestring zucchini into “noodles”.

3. Bring a pot of water to a boil and cooked zucchini noodles for 3-4 minutes. Drain. Serve sauce on top of paleo spaghetti.