Paleo Bachelor: Bacon Fried Rice

If you're a foodie, if you like to cook recipes that have multiple steps and require actual skill, then this recipe probably isn't for you.  I only use recipes that are:

• Easy to do (little to no skill required);
• Utilize predominantly ingredients that keep a long time, so you don't have to be super prepared when you shop to buy fresh ingredients;
• Soil an absolutely minimal number of pots/ utensils so cleanup is easy and quick;
• Cook relatively quickly;
• Taste at least decent;
• Fit my modified paleo diet (I eat paleo sort of - I'll also eat some sugar, dairy, artificial sweeteners, and white rice, but I do try to minimize the seed oils and grains otherwise)

Today I cooked a recipe that fits this broad definition.  It's not paleo - there's no getting around the white rice - but if you're okay with that it's pretty paleo otherwise.

I owe my sister in law Amy a big debt for introducing me to the basics of this recipe.  Thanks, Amy!

Here are the ingredients and utensils (this serves 2, or maybe 1 if you're veeery hungry):

1 cup white rice (basmati works well, I'm sure aficionados would prefer specific strains);

3 eggs;

1 tbs. butter (you can substitute any other fat if you don't do dairy - coconut oil, lard, whatever);

2 small onions;

8 or so brussels sprouts (or any other veggie you like - thinly sliced carrots, spinach, cabbage, peas, broccoli, kale, collard greens, whatever);

1 lb. ground beef;

5 slices uncured bacon;

1/4 cup or so gluten free soy sauce (widely available at places like Whole Foods);

salt & seasonings;

1 nonstick pan or wok, large-ish;

1 medium pot/ saucepan with tightly fitting lid;

1 rubber spatula;

1 medium sized bowl;

1 chopping knife & cutting board;

1 spoon.

Directions:

1. Start the rice (put rice, butter or 1 tbs oil, and 1.25 cups water into the saucepan, bring to a boil; lower heat so it simmers and cover for 20 minutes, when it's done let it sit for 10 minutes - once it's at a simmer you can do other stuff).  [Note:  you can absolutely use leftover rice for this, and I have it on good authority that this dish is even better when the rice is cooked the day before!]
2. Cook the 3 eggs in the nonstick pan scrambled style, until they're dry.  Dump them into the bowl.
3. Render the bacon - put over medium or low heat until the bacon is crispy and all the white stuff has melted off.
4. While the bacon cooks slice your onions and other veggies into small, thin slices or chunks.
5. Take the bacon out and dump it into the bowl with the eggs.  If you can, slice it into little bits when you get the chance.
6. Dump the veggies into the pan with the bacon fat, turn up the heat to high, and cook them until the onions are browned.
7. Dump the veggies into the bowl with the eggs and stuff.
8. Throw the beef into the pan; cook until the meat is browned.  I like to add some salt, garlic powder, and whatever else to it.
9. Dump the meat into the bowl.
10. Dump the (hopefully finished) rice into the pan with the last of the fat.  
11. Pour the soy sauce around the rice.  Stir the rice, fat, and soy sauce until it's nice and evenly colored a light brown.
12. Dump everything from the bowl into the pan and  mix it all together.
13. Dish it back into the bowl and eat.  That's what the spoon is for!

If it comes out too greasy for you, cut back on the bacon or the fat you added to the rice (but don't eliminate it altogether).  You can add more garlic, paprika, or cinnamon as you wish.

If this is too carby for you, you can always cut back on the rice and add more veggies.  I found the ratio in this to be pretty much ideal, personally.

Enjoy!

Osu.

The Paleo Bachelor: White Sweet Potato Fries

Single serving of Paleo Bachelor Sweet Potato Fries

To be clear, I'm not actually a bachelor.  I am, however, like a bachelor in that: a) nobody in my house cooks meals for me regularly; and b) I don't like to cook.  There are bachelors who like to cook, even some who are also straight, but they're few and far between.

If you're a good cook, the type of person who gets pleasure out of making a perfect wine reduction and who has more than 3 spices (salt, pepper, and chile powder) in your cupboard, the type who knows how to cut vegetables without losing fingertips, that's fantastic for you -you're well on your way to being a successful paleo dieter.  If, however, you'r elike me and find the idea of cooking a dish that takes more than 15 minutes, has more than 3 or so ingredients, or requires using a thermometer horrifying, then you might be a paleo bachelor.

The secret to succeeding as a paleo bachelor is to develop a list of easy to make, low prep time recipes that don't require too many fresh ingredients, too much cooking skill to create, or dirty too many dishes, yet still fit the paleo prescription.  How many recipes?  That's your call, but I'd say more than one.  I'm pretty tolerant of food boredom and even I get bored eating the same thing every day.

Every meal should start with a large portion of meat or eggs.  I personally also function better on a moderate amount of carbs - which means a nice load of sweet potato or some other tuber most days.  Occasionally I'll cook up a bowl of rice, but I try to save the grains for special occasions.

I was eating white sweet potato (there are many varieties, I have no idea how they differ) mashed and mixed in with ground beef most days.  Lately I got into the idea of eating steaks instead or mixing my ground beef with onions.  I don't like roasted or mashed sweet potato too much as a side dish, so I needed another relatively quick way to get it in. 

Store-bought sweet potato chips or fries would be a nice choice except they're usually cooked in horrific oils.  I tried to find a frozen sweet potato fry cooked in coconut or palm oil, to no avail.  So I decided to make my own.

The recipe is simple:
Tools:

• Vegetable peeler
• Knife
• Spoon
• Baking tray or dish
• Bowl
• Plate for serving

Ingredients:

• 1 or more sweet potatoes
• Melted coconut oil (enough to coat the fries)
• Seasonings - at least salt and pepper (I especially like garlic powder on these)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 Fahrenheit.
2. Stick coconut oil in bowl in microwave or over heat (depending on the bowl you're using) until liquid.
3. Peel sweet potato.
4. Cut sweet potato into slices, wedges, or fry shapes as you prefer.
5. Toss in bowl with coconut oil, salt, pepper, and any other seasonings you want - chile powder, garlic, whatever.
6. Spread "fries" evenly across the bottom of your baking dish/ tray.
7. Cook for about 15 minutes.
8. Turn over "fries" - use spoon.
9. Cook for another 10 minutes or until outside has reached desired crispiness.
10. Serve.

1 large sweet potato makes a single serving for me or enough for 2-3 normal people.  Experiment.  Cook the potatoes at least long enough to lightly brown the outside, maybe enough to slightly blacken it.

Yeah, I know, AGE's, blah blah, early death, blah blah.  You could steam these or cook them at a lower temperature.  But they're just sooo yummy blackened!

That's my first paleo bachelor recipe.  You can make these even if you aren't a bachelor, and even if you don't eat paleo.  But if you are a paleo bachelor they might be part of the cure for a lifetime of boring eating!