Category: Recipes

I LOVE my chickens.  Just ask my kids. And, Summer means EGGS on our farm.  Lots of eggs. More eggs than I know what to do with.

And on Whidbey Island, it means lots of Dungeness Crabs from our surrounding waters.

In August, one of my favorite ways to use our beautiful eggs is in Crab Eggs Benedict. For a Paleo version I use a bed of sliced tomatoes and bacon to replace the typical english muffin. Believe me, you won’t miss the muffin.

In this version, I place the poached egg on top of the tomato/bacon bed and then add warm crab and a generous drizzle of hollandaise. If  you don’t have access to crab meat, a ripe avocado is great in its place.

And, if you’re ever in Seattle try Portage Bay Cafe. 

Portage Bay Cafe was my introduction to a really good crab eggs benedict.

Still one of my favorite breakfast restaurants ever.

And, their motto is “Eat Like You Give a Damn- Local, Organic, Sustainable”.

Can’t argue with that!

August Crab Eggs Benedict

Ingredients and Preparation

3 egg yolks

1 ½ tsp dijon mustard

1 T lemon juice

¼ tsp salt

Tiny pinch cayenne pepper- more if you’re brave

½ c melted salted butter

• Melt butter in the microwave or on the stove
• In a blender, combine egg yolks, lemon juice, mustard, salt and cayenne. Blend 10 seconds or so
• Slowly add melted butter to egg mixture while blender is running
• Pour hollandaise while warm over eggs, vegetables (so good on asparagus) or fish

Note: you can use more or less dijon or lemon juice depending on your taste

Succulent, sweet, savory BBQ chicken leg and thighs and boneless pork ribs! I love having a combo of meat options in one meal and sharing a little bit of each around the table.

Summer greetings, everyone!

I hope wherever you are this 4th of July you can enjoy some time outdoors in the sun.

On Whidbey Island we are finally seeing some sunshine. For my family,
that means grilling almost every night and BBQ sauce is part of the mix.  I love the taste of any grilled food (meat or veggie) and a good bbq sauce is a requirement for my summer food experience.

Today we have included some Paleo-friendly options to spark ideas: a homemade bbq sauce recipe, if you’re feeling industrious, as well as a store-bought Primal Kitchen Paleo BBQ sauce you can trust that has clean ingredients and is low in carbs.

Enjoy!

Paleo BBQ Sauce Options

Classic BBQ Sauce, Organic & Unsweetened

If you’re going the store-bought BBQ sauce route, we highly recommend PRIMAL KITCHEN’s Classic BBQ Sauce!

It’s organic, unsweetened, and ready to spread onto savory dishes with bold, smoky flavor.

Certified Paleo, Keto Certified, gluten free, and Whole30 Approved®, this sauce works as a marinade, a burger topping or a sweet potato fries condiment.

ORDER

30 Recipes for a Paleo BBQ

A July 4th BBQ is synonymous with recreation and fun in the outdoors.

That’s why we like this list of Paleo-friendly recipes, which are geared toward spending as little time indoors on the day of your big cookout!

READ

Recipe: Paleo BBQ Sauce

Here’s a Paleo BBQ Sauce Recipe that’s free of refined sugars and junky oils, and features 4 different renditions to customize to your tastes!

Written by Cassy Joy Garcia, author and nutritionist, this recipe will pair well with our own Primal Island Paleo-friendly margaritas!

READ

I love all things edible. 

And when it comes to salad, edible flowers are the “icing on the cake,” so to speak.  Growing vegetables alongside my landscaping and having edible flowers in the mix makes everything more beautiful and more tasty.

In the Pacific Northwest this time of year there are a handful of yummy and gorgeous edible flowers to choose from as well as copious amounts of lettuce. 

My favorites to use for garnish on salad currently are: calendula, nasturtiums, borage, pea blossoms and bachelor buttons. A few are pictured in the garden salad, above. 

The salad came straight from my garden as well and, not only includes various lettuces, but also includes, kale, swiss chard and beet greens.  The more variety the better for the palette and nutrition, I say!

And, in the end, I think every meal sprinkled with edible flowers is a feast for the eyes and stomach. 

Simple Balsamic Vinegar Dressing

½ c Olive Oil-make sure  the olive oil is not cut with canola oil

½ c balsamic

½ c grainy mustard 

Salt to taste (more than you think)

Pepper to taste

Put all ingredients in a jar with a lid (I use mason jars).  Shake and done!  This will keep in the refrigerator forever so I often double or triple the recipe in the summer months when we are eating an abundance of salads.

And for additional Paleo Dressing, please see 9 Paleo Salad Dressing so You Know Exactly What’s Going into Your Greens.

More Edible Flowers

The photos below are several of the flowers I used in this salad. If you’d like to see additional edible flowers, please check out this blog post, Flowers You Can Eat.

Borage

Pea Blossom

Nasturtium

It’s fashionable these days to take basic recipes for dishes such as guacamole and salsa and add all kinds of flavor enhancing herbs and spices.

But I learned from a friend that keeping it simple is the secret to a great “guac” and salsa.

Here are the recipes I use when I’m settling down to drink a Kombucha-Ritas or two with chips and salsa.

Primal Island Simple Guacamole

4 avocados 

¼ diced red onion

1 T cilantro (optional)

1 minced or pressed garlic clove 

Salt and pepper to taste

Mash avocados and mix all ingredients together.  Garnish with extra cilantro and red onions. 

If not serving immediately add ¼ lime or lemon juiced or 1 tsp lime or lemon juice (I highly recommend Santa Cruz brand).  Adding the citrus will keep it from turning brown.

And if you’re looking for grain free chips, my favorite brand is Siete, which you can buy online.

Easy Roma Salsa

2 roma tomatoes, finely diced

¼ red onion, finely diced

½ tsp olive oil

1 tsp cilantro, chopped

Salt and Pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together.  Garnish with extra red onion and/or cilantro and enjoy! Simple, yet delicious!