• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Taste
    • Flavor
      • Sweet
      • Salty
      • Bitter
      • Sour
      • Umami
    • Raw
      • Smoothies
      • Snacks
      • Salads
      • Dressings
      • Desserts
    • cooked
      • Sweets
      • Fruits
      • vegetables
      • Protein
  • Cultivate
    • Tradition
    • Art
    • Dwelling
  • Wellness
    • Beauty
    • Nutrition
    • DIY
  • connect
    • About

Root + Savor

Connecting with food in a healthy way

Protein

March 25, 2019 By Karis Alex Leave a Comment

Keto Jalapeño Popper Chicken Skillet

Jump to Recipe

This easy Keto Jalapeño Popper Chicken Skillet is the perfect weeknight meal that makes great leftovers for lunches for the week! Whole chicken thighs are shredded in the skillet, cooked with bacon, jalapeños and served with cauliflower rice for a fun one pan dinner!

jalapeno popper chicken in skillet

What’s not to love about one pan skillet dinners?

Hello easy & less dishes & fast dinner in under 30 minutes.

  • tender, juicy chicken thighs shredded straight in the skillet
  • soft cream cheese melted with shredded parmesan
  • thick cut crispy flavorful bacon
  • canned jalapeños (hi super easy over here!)
  • frozen bag of cauliflower rice (again, easy peasy)
  • chopped caramelized red onion (save a lil fresh for topping at the end cause extra crunchy factor)
  • fresh squeeze of lime juice for your cilantro cauli rice situation
  • cilantro (is cilantro reallllly ever optional?)
chicken thighs in skillet

This bacon is cooked in the skillet first and then the chicken is sautéed right in the same pan to get it nice and crispy and perfectly juicy. Plus caramelized red onions. YUM.

Did I mention bacon?

I told you guys about shredding chicken with a handheld kitchen mixer in my instant pot chipotle adobo chicken. Super easy. Super fast. I didn’t do it this time cause I just used two forks to shred right in the pan. But if you are going for speedy then yes, pull out the mixer and shred it up!

shredded chicken with cream cheese

Pillowy pockets of cubed cream cheese melted on top of jalapeño chicken (is that the popper part of it?) Either way, this sauce is built on cheese and chicken broth and jalapeños and SO MUCH FLAVOR.

jalapeño chicken skillet with bacon

When choosing your bacon, do me a favor and go to Trader Joe’s grocery store and buy the thick cut ends & pieces cause it’s the best bacon! And then when you are cooking your bacon, leave the pieces a little big so you get a nice bite in this keto jalapeño popper chicken skillet!

jalapeno popper skillet

Like always, I love fresh ingredients. And then I also love easy. So if you can find a mini can of jalapeños (you know the cute 4 oz jars) then go for that! Alternatively, you could add fresh diced jalapeños and decide to keep the seeds in or out based on your kind of hot factor.

When I make a recipe and they tell me to de-seed the jalapeños, I never pay attention, ever, cause I like them there for a reason. Come on, we are working with jalapeños here.

jalapeno chicken skillet

You could totally add white or brown rice here but if you are going for the keto, low carb option, cauliflower it is. To keep this recipe one skillet, we just add the frozen bag of cauliflower right into the skillet to make it a casserole type dish. If you’d rather wash another pot, you can make it in a sauce pan with fresh lime juice and chopped cilantro.

plated jalapeno popper chicken

Did I also mention leftovers? The best for lunches or dinner the next day. Also freezes quite well!

Yes. I think you are going to love this recipe!

Because we all love less dishes, more flavor and super easy dinner in under 30 minutes!

jalapeno popper chicken plated

If you make this recipe, be sure to tag @rootandsavor on instagram and follow along on Facebook!

Print

Keto Jalapeno Popper Chicken Skillet

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 1 lb chicken thighs
  • 8 oz bacon, slices
  • 1/2 cup shredded cheese (I used parmesan)
  • 4 oz cream cheese, cubed
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1/2 red onion, chopped
  • 2-3 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 12 oz frozen bag of cauliflower rice
  • juice of one lime
  • sea salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. In a large cast iron skillet, cook the bacon until desired crispiness. Remove bacon from pan and set aside. 

  2. Add chicken thighs to the skillet with the remaining bacon fat. Cook on medium to high heat for 10 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked, flipping halfway through. Add chopped red onion at 5 minute mark. Shred chicken in skillet with two forks. 

  3. Add the can of jalapeños, cream cheese and parmesan cheese. Cook on low-medium heat until cream cheese is melted. In the same skillet, add the frozen bag of cauliflower rice and 1 cup of chicken broth. Cover and cook until cauliflower rice is tender and heated throughout (about 3-5 minutes). 

  4. Top with fresh lime juice and cilantro. Add sea salt and pepper to taste!

February 13, 2019 By Karis Alex Leave a Comment

Instant Pot Chipotle Adobo Chicken

Easy instant pot chipotle adobo chicken is a perfect meal prep recipe for tacos, bowls, salads and more! All you need is chicken thighs, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, some spices and they cook in under 15 minutes. Plus, shredded in under 1 minute with a handheld mixer!

chipotle shredded chicken with chips

I’m always in need of easy, meal prep recipes, especially ones I can build upon.

That’s why I LOVE my instant pot because I’m all about the having the convenience of making food fast without compromising flavor! Then I have a protein staple in the fridge for the week that also tastes ahhhhhhmazing.

Enter: instant pot chipotle adobo chicken. Perfect for any meal prep recipe for the week!

chipotle chicken in instant pot

If you’ve never used chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, I promise you, it’s gonna be your favorite thing. Chipotle peppers are dried, smoked jalapeños and adobo is a tangy, red sauce that those chipotle peppers are soaking in. Although you won’t use the whole can these keep well in your fridge (and then you’ll need them again next week to make this recipe again!)

chipotle shredded chicken with cilantro

I’ve talked to so many people who own an instant pot but they’ve said it’s been sitting in their pantry closet unopened. I totally get it, an instant pot can seem intimidating but it doesn’t have to be! Once you learn how to cook a few of your favorite recipes, you’ll be won over at the ease of your new kitchen gadget.

The first thing you’ll do is turn on your pot to sauté mode, and once it’s hot you’ll add a tbsp of extra virgin olive oil and the chicken thighs. At this point you can add sea salt, pepper and garlic powder. The chicken will sear for 5 minutes (that will lock in the flavor!) and once golden brown, you’ll add a few chipotle peppers, sauce and water.

Then you’ll lock the lid and turn the pressure valve to sealing. The chicken will cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. I like chopping up some fresh cilantro and serve with a side of frozen cauliflower rice (oh so easy!)

chipotle shredded chicken with cilantro

Bonus: shred the chicken straight up in the same pot. No extra blending of sauces. All you need is your favorite handheld mixer and you’ve got it shredded in under a minute!

chipotle shredded chicken in bowl

Here are a few favorite ways to use your instant pot chipotle adobo chicken:

  • on top of nachos with melty cheese and extra jalapeños for a fun appetizer
  • served with a side of cauliflower rice and refried black beans for an easy weeknight dinner bowl
  • chipotle adobo tacos with my paleo broccoli cabbage coleslaw
  • served on a bed of crunchy, romaine lettuce with sour cream and fresh squeezed lime
shredded chipotle chicken
Print

Instant Pot Chipotle Adobo Chicken

Ingredients

  • 1.5 lbs chicken thighs
  • 3 chipotle peppers (from can)
  • 1 tbsp adobo sauce (from can of chipotle peppers)
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1 tsp garlic powder (optional)
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika (optional)

Instructions

  1. In the Instant Pot press sauté mode and wait until it reads “hot.” Then add 1 tbsp olive oil, chicken thighs, sea salt and seasonings. Sear chicken thighs for 5 minutes, turning thighs over once to get nicely golden brown. 

  2. Add 3/4 cup water and 3 whole chipotle peppers plus 1 tbsp adobo sauce to the chicken thighs (no need to chop up peppers). Place the lid on the pressure cooker and secure to sealed position on the valve. Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. Allow the pressure to naturally release (the silver button next to the valve will pop down once it has fully released). Carefully turn the valve to venting to remove any excess steam. Remove lid.

  3. Use a hand held kitchen aid mixer (or a stand up one if you have) and mix the chicken thighs on low until shredded. I find it easiest to go in 10 second increments. Make sure not to over mix or the chicken will become too shredded and watery! 

  4. Add fresh chopped cilantro and serve chicken with your favorite Mexican dish like tacos, burritos or salad! 

February 1, 2019 By Karis Alex Leave a Comment

Cilantro Jalapeño Hummus

Make this creamy, spicy Cilantro Jalapeño Hummus made with chickpeas, fresh garlic, lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil and tahini. All you need is a blender or food processor!

Cilantro Jalapeno Hummus

Creamy, spicy, fresh & smooth. Cilantro Jalapeño Hummus here to fill in all these adjectives.

This hummus beats the regular, plain old hummus containers from the store. Now, don’t get me wrong, there is a time and place for those lovely, convenient containers. But, once you start making your own hummus with all the flavor from cilantro & spicy jalapeños that you’d want, will you really go back?

Cilantro Jalapeno Hummus

I’m sure you don’t want to hear that I used to be one of those people against hummus. Cause I’m sure you are already reading this post because you are a hummus fan. Well, good for you. I don’t need to convert you to the hummus side.

But for those of you who think hummus can be average and like you don’t even want to dip your veggies in it. Like you’d rather just eat the raw carrot and not bother dipping in the hummus. THEN THIS HUMMUS IS FOR YOU!

FRESH CILANTRO! FRAGRANT GARLIC! PEPPERY JALAPEÑOS!

Cilantro Jalapeno Hummus

But you also want easy and throw all the things in a blender/food processor kind of hummus. Cause if you are gonna make it, it REALLY has to be good cause or else you’d just buy it at the store…

Okay, I hear you. Cause you want your hummus and you want to eat it too.

Cilantro Jalapeno Hummus

And with a heavy drizzle of good quality olive oil on top because if you’ve been around here for a second, you know I’m all about the EVO.

This cilantro jalapeño hummus is made with only 7 ingredients (8 if you count sea salt!):

  • garlic
  • lemon
  • chickpeas
  • cilantro
  • tahini
  • jalapeño
  • extra-virgin olive oil
  • sea salt
Cilantro Jalapeno Hummus

Wondering what those crunchy chickpeas are doing on top? They are like the croutons to a salad! You could make them at home or you could buy them at Trader Joes! And if you make them at home just steal a couple of chickpeas from the garbanzo bean can and throw them in the oven with some olive oil!

When you need an idea for a party appetizer, for instance, game-day or girls-night, look no further! Make this Jalapeño Cilantro Hummus and you’ll be the hit of the party! Alright, promises here I’m willing to keep.

Cilantro Jalapeno Hummus

The vehicle of choice here for the cilantro jalapeño hummus: rice crackers, carrots and cucumbers. What else do you want to dip with? Cherry tomatoes bursting with flavor! Broccoli florets and celery and mini peppers!

Or just eat straight with a spoon.

Cilantro Jalapeno Hummus

If you make this recipe, be sure to tag @rootandsavor on instagram and follow along on Facebook!

Print

Cilantro Jalapeño Hummus

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 12 servings

Ingredients

Hummus

  • 1 15oz can of chickpeas (slightly drained)
  • 1 jalapeño (seeds intact for more heat or removed for less heat)
  • 1 bunch of cilantro (stems included)
  • 2 garlic cloves (peeled)
  • 1/4 cup tahini
  • 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (plus additional for topping)
  • 1 lemon (juiced)
  • 1 tsp sea salt (plus additional to taste)

Roasted Chickpeas (optional)

  • 1/4 cup chickpeas
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 (if making roasted chickpeas)

  2. To a blender or food processor add peeled garlic cloves, jalapeño (if desired you can remove the seeds for less spiciness!), juice of lemon and whole bunch of cilantro (the stems are flavorful so you can keep them on). Pulse until smooth, scraping down sides as needed. You want to do this step first before adding the rest of the ingredients so that the garlic, cilantro and jalapeño are smooth before adding the chickpeas.

  3. To the same blender or food processor, add slightly drained chickpeas, extra virgin olive oil, tahini, and sea salt and blend until creamy, scraping down the sides as needed.

  4. To make the roasted chickpeas, combine in a bowl with extra virgin olive oil and sea salt. 

  5. Spread on baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes or until chickpeas are crispy. Top off the hummus with crispy chickpeas, drizzle of olive oil and desired amount of sea salt. 

  6. Serve hummus with veggies, crackers, chips or pita!

January 30, 2019 By Karis Alex Leave a Comment

Keto Buffalo Chicken Wings

Crispy, baked Keto Buffalo Chicken Wings perfect for an easy appetizer! All you need is 3 ingredients and these keto buffalo chicken wings are ready in under 45 minutes!

keto buffalo chicken wings with cilantro

First things first is make sure your chicken wings are defrosted! If they are frozen, just make sure to put them in cold water and let them defrost. Once they are defrosted, pat them dry with paper towels and place them on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.

It’s SUCH an easy recipe cause you only need these 3 ingredients (plus spices!):

– chicken wings

– your favorite hot sauce

– butter

– sea salt & garlic powder!

buffalo chicken sauce in pan

Make your creamy buffalo sauce on the stove top while your wings get perfectly, crispy and golden.

All you need here is hot sauce (I love using Frank’s RedHot) and butter (can I recommend Kerrygold cause it’s the best).

crispy baked chicken wings

See, I told you they’d come out perfectly crispy.

That’s why these wings are keto cause they don’t need anything else on them to get them crispy! Just a little bit of sea salt, garlic powder and the skin comes out exactly the way you want it.

crispy baked chicken wings on baking pan

And then once your wings have baked for 40 minutes all you do is place them in the same pan as the buffalo sauce and coat them all around! Serve with your favorite dipping sauce like blue cheese dressing or ranch and top it off with some fresh cilantro.

buffalo wings on plate with sauce
kept baked buffalo wings with sauce

I think these would be the perfect party or game day appetizer!

I’d suggest making a few batches of these 🙂 And let me tell you, even the fans of the breaded buffalo wings will absolutely love these.

One of my husband’s favorite food is buffalo chicken wings and he goes crazy over these! I’ve finally made them keto too which I think makes the recipe easier since you don’t have to coat the wings in anything but hot sauce!

buffalo chicken wings with napkin

These are so juicy, buttery and just enough spice to round out these keto buffalo chicken wings. They are also super good the next day too, that is, if you have any leftovers.

plated chicken wings with cilantro
buffalo chicken wings with cilantro

If you make this recipe, be sure to tag @rootandsavor on instagram and follow along on Facebook!

Print

Keto Buffalo Chicken Wings

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 12 wings

Ingredients

  • 12 chicken wings (about 1.5 pounds)
  • 1/4 cup hot sauce (Frank’s RedHot is my favorite)
  • 3 tbsp butter (I love Kerrygold)
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • fresh cilantro (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425. 

  2. Pat chicken wings dry with a paper towel. Assemble on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle with sea salt and garlic powder. Bake at 425 for 40 minutes (or until desired crispiness)

  3. Add the hot sauce and butter to a pan on low-medium heat until melted. 

  4. Once chicken wings are baked, add them to the buffalo sauce until fully coated. 

  5. Serve with fresh cilantro and a side of blue cheese or ranch dressing!

January 22, 2019 By Karis Alex Leave a Comment

Burger Sliders on Sweet Potato Buns

Jump to Recipe

These burger sliders on baked sweet potato “buns” are filled with balsamic caramelized onions, crumbled feta cheese and your favorite burger toppings like sliced avocado!

burger sliders on sweet potato buns

These burger sliders are so easy to make and the sweet potato “buns” are the perfect addition to complete this fun meal or appetizer! Kids also love eating these because they are a great size for them!

burger sliders on sweet potato buns

I’m SUCH a fan of sweet potatoes. They are definitely one of my favorite foods! I’m all about the fries and the mashed potatoes and adding them to smoothies and making toast out of them and the chips and the nachos.

These sweet potato buns are made by slicing them and simply baking them in the oven! They crispy up nicely and can be made a head of time and re-heated when you are ready to assemble the burgers.

See? They are just so cute! Perfect little burger slider buns. Come on. You know you love it.

burger sliders on sweet potato buns

Juicy, beef burgers with golden, caramelized onions and creamy feta. Seriously bursting with so much flavor.

Ingredients you need for these sliders:

-large sweet potatoes

-ground beef

-feta

-onions

-balsamic

-milk

-spices like sea salt, pepper, garlic, parsley and red pepper flakes

I love making these for meal prep and keeping them in the fridge to reheat.

Just bake them a little less in the oven and you’ll have the perfect medium burgers (or the temperature you want use a meat thermometer!)

These burger sliders on sweet potato buns would also be a fun party appetizer that you could make the day before and reheat! And if you want the best condiment then make my Easy Paleo Mayonnaise!

If you are feeling a little extra then why not add some bacon crumbles or blue cheese crumbles or some more caramelized onions on top?

Seriously, sweet potato buns are taking over and these burger sliders are just waiting to be served!

These burger sliders are made with caramelized onions, feta cheese on sweet potato buns!
Print

Burger Sliders on Sweet Potato Buns

Servings 10 burger sliders

Ingredients

  • 2-3 large sweet potatoes (20 round slices for buns)
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • 1/2 cup milk I haven’t tested non-dairy milk
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1-2 tsp balsamic glaze
  • 1/4 cup crumbled feta
  • 2 tsp parsley
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes
  • sea salt & pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

  2. Add ground beef to a bowl with 1/2 cup milk. This makes the beef so tender! If you have time, leave it in the fridge the night before to let the beef soak in the milk. Add the parsley, garlic powder, red pepper flakes to the meat. Take the bowl out of the fridge 45 mins before cooking to allow to come to room temperature. This ensures even cooking to the meat. 

  3. Slice sweet potatoes (leave skin on) into 1/4-1/2 inch rounds. You’ll want 20 slices for the sweet potato buns. Place on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Bake for 30 mins (or until tender) flipping halfway.

  4. Slice an onion lengthwise. Heat a cast iron pan to medium-low on the stove top and add 1 tbsp of olive oil. Add the onion to the pan and cook until caramelized. Turn off the heat and add 1-2 tsp balsamic glaze. Allow onions to cool for a few minutes. 

  5. Add the caramelized onions to the ground beef mixture and 1/4 cup of crumbled feta cheese. Divide mixture into 10 slider patties on a plate with parchment paper (easy clean-up). 

  6. You can use the grill or the cast iron (then finish off in the oven) and right before cooking generously sprinkle sea salt and pepper to both sides of the burger patties. 

  7. Use the same cast iron skillet on medium heat and added the burger sliders in two batches (I actually have a HUGE cast iron skillet I can fit all of them on!) Cook for 5-7 mins flipping halfway. You just want a nice sear to the burgers. Bake the burgers in the oven for 15 mins in the cast iron pan or transfer to a large baking sheet covered with parchment paper. 

  8. Assemble the sweet potato buns, add the burger sliders and top with avocado and more feta or goat cheese! Add a slice of tomato or get fancy with some bacon! 

May 2, 2018 By Karis Alex Leave a Comment

Paleo Crispy Baked Chicken

Who loves fried chicken? It’s probably one of my favorite meals. My whole family knows it. We didn’t got out to eat often when I was young. When my Grandparents would visit from California, they’d take the whole family out to lunch. All six kids and two parents, which makes sense why we didn’t go out to eat often unless Grammy and Papa came to visit 🙂

My favorite thing to order would be the classic mashed potatoes and creamy corn and fried chicken. Only it would be buffet style so obviously all you can eat (for a six year old, not sure if they got their monies worth!) but I sure did at the ice cream station! Now that I’m older, not a lot has changed. I still love a good crispy, golden, southern fried chicken. Anyone who is from the Twin Cities knows what I’m talking about. Ever heard of the restaurant Revival? It has won my heart.

The thing that has changed, is I’m probably not going to eat all the fried chicken at the buffet, because, well you can handle a little more chicken when you are young! So, what I’ve created here is a fried chicken rendition that actually isn’t fried. It’s baked. Which 1) means less work, and 2) less dishes to wash, and 3) well baked has coined the term “healthier” so maybe it’s just that! Either way, you are going to love it.

What makes this chicken paleo friendly? It’s the crackers that give it the extra crunchy, almost corn flake texture (anyone grow up eating these?! Me!) But I definitely chose my crackers wisely. Meaning, I didn’t lose out on the flavor but found some paleo ones for you! My favorite ones I’ve tried is from the brand Simple Mills. You can buy them for cheap at Costco or your local health food store. If you like a little kick, I’d recommend the Jalapeño Sprouted Seed Crackers.

Then all you need to do is crush up those crackers and whisk a few eggs and dredge the chicken in all of this goodness. What a fancy free happy weeknight meal!

Plus, don’t forget the ghee or butter if you aren’t paleo! Cause you know you need that golden, baked chicken and you get that by adding all the healthy fat. Don’t fear the fat people. If you’d rather use extra virgin olive oil, that would probably be fine too. Might give it a bit of a different flavor but I’m sure it’d be wonderful!

And if you are like me, you need some potatoes with your crispy chicken. You could add sweet potatoes drizzled with olive oil and sea salt with some cinnamon or a few yellow potatoes sprinkled with pepper, salt & parsley! Also, you probably already know I’m a HUGE fan of roasted veggies, so basically just add those to the mix! I love me some cauliflower and broccoli action. Plus butter, or ghee, or extra virgin olive oil, you know, whatever is your thaaaaaaang. And of course some crunch so making my paleo broccoli cabbage coleslaw would also me totally appropriate.

Nothing is stopping you now from making all the crispy, crunchy, buttery, chicken cause hello comfort golden food, I see you right here!

Print

Paleo Crispy Baked Chicken

Prep Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 4-5 chicken thighs*, boneless
  • 4 tbsp ghee or grass-fed butter if not paleo
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 1/4-1/2 cup gluten free crackers, crushed I used Simple Mills Crackers Jalapeño
  • 2 eggs, whisked
  • 1 tsp dried parsley, basil, sage optional
  • 4-5 small sweet potatoes (or yellow if not paleo) optional
  • extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400. 

  2. Crush up crackers (I placed them in a bag and used a rolling pin) and measure out 1/4-1/2 cup (depending on size of chicken thighs).

  3. In a bowl, add all the spices and crushed crackers.

  4. In a separate bowl, whisk 2 eggs.

  5. Pat and dry chicken thighs with a paper towel. Make sure they are flattened out so they cook evenly (they are often folded together in packaging). Then dip each one into the egg wash, then the cracker season mix. 

  6. Place the chicken on a baking sheet with parchment paper or I used a ceramic one here. Then divide 4 tbsp of ghee or butter on top of the chicken. 

  7. If you want to add potatoes, slice them into quarters, place them in a bowl and add some olive oil, sea salt, and pepper to coat. Place them on the same pan as the chicken. 
  8. Bake the chicken for 30-40 minutes (breading will be a golden color and potatoes will be crispy!)

  9. *You could also use chicken tenders or other boneless chicken. I just like the flavor of chicken thighs. 

March 20, 2018 By Karis Alex Leave a Comment

Paleo Cauliflower Fried Rice

Jump to Recipe

Low carb Paleo Cauliflower Fried Rice is a great weeknight dinner and easy meal prep option for the week! Made in one skillet and comes together in under 15 minutes!

Cauliflower is definitely the “in” food right now. Cauliflower pizza crust, cauliflower smoothies, roasted cauliflower, cauliflower “cream” sauce, and of course cauliflower rice to name a few. I love plain old frozen cauliflower for an easy vegetable side dish with my wild caught salmon for a great weeknight dinner. But sometimes it’s fun to get creative and think about all the fun ways you can use cauliflower!

If you’ve never tried paleo cauliflower fried rice before, it’s a great low-carb alternative to white or brown fried rice. You can substitute cauliflower rice for topping with curries, stews, sauces, really anything you’d serve with rice. Even though I don’t specifically eat low carb, I’m always in for sneaking veggies into dishes! Plus you are basically making a veggie stir fry but with that comforting, savory, take-out-style paleo cauliflower fried rice.

If you have a food processor then I’ll tell you how to make the rice. If you don’t, most grocery stores now, like Trader Joe’s, will sell a frozen bag of riced cauliflower. So, all you need is a head of cauliflower and then you cut the stem off and cube the rest of the pieces like pictured. It’s really just a rough chop so it can fit in your food processor.

 You’ll see here that the cauliflower rice will get very fine and so depending on the size of the “rice” that you want you can process it for 30 seconds to a minute. You don’t want to over process it because then the rice will get mushy (same thing with cooking, it really just needs a light steaming if you are using fresh cauliflower).

If you are a fried rice fan then don’t forget to add fresh garlic and fresh ginger! I’m telling you it really makes the difference here in flavor. Plus you are getting awesome benefits from the garlic and ginger (read more about why here!) And here is an introduction to coconut aminos if you haven’t already heard about it. Coconut aminos is made from coconut tree sap and salt. It’s great for those who are avoiding gluten (in traditional soy sauce) or soy in general. The flavor is very similar to soy sauce or tamari, with the same umami flavor.

You might be wondering, what is umami? Well, I’m sure you know how there are the flavor notes sour, salty, sweet and bitter. But did you know there is a fifth basic taste? In the early 1900’s, a Japanese professor discovered a component in chicken stock or broth called glutamate and found this flavor to be called “umami.” So there you have it! And if you are curious about the science behind umami, you can read more about it here.

What I love about this recipe is that is doesn’t take a lot of time to make. If you want to save a step, buy a bag of frozen mixed vegetables like I did here. But, if you need to use up the veggies you have in your fridge, definitely dice them up and sauté them with onions at the beginning! I like finding a blend of carrots, peas, corn and green beans.

cauliflower fried rice with veggies

This recipe has a lot of “optional” add ins because I wanted to still keep this recipe easy to whip up! This cauliflower fried rice should be something that you can throw together in no time for a weeknight dinner or meal prep option.

cauliflower fried rice with eggs

If you have some shredded chicken on hand, then go for some extra protein and add that in too! And when adding in the eggs, just push the rice off to one side and then add the beaten eggs to the other side and cook until they are set.

cauliflower fried rice in a bowl
paleo cauliflower fried rice in a bowl

Happy paleo cauliflower fried rice making!

If you make this recipe, be sure to tag @rootandsavor on instagram and follow along on Facebook!

Print

Paleo Cauliflower Fried Rice

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Author Karis Alex

Ingredients

  • 1 head cauliflower or 12 oz frozen cauliflower rice
  • 12 oz frozen veggies i.e. carrots & peas
  • 2-3 eggs, beaten
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 2-3 tbsp coconut aminos or soy sauce
  • sea salt & pepper to taste
  • 1 onion, diced (optional)
  • 1 tsp turmeric (optional)
  • 1 tsp rice vinegar (optional)
  • 1 tbsp fresh grated ginger or 1/2 tsp dried (optional)
  • chopped green onion and chicken (optional)

Instructions

  1. Roughly chop up a head of cauliflower so that it fits in the food processor. Blend it until the cauliflower is approximately the size of rice (or use a frozen bag of cauliflower rice!)

  2. (If adding onion) Heat a large cast iron pan on medium heat with olive oil. Once hot, add onion and fresh ginger. Sauté for 5-7 minutes or until onions are transluscent. Then add frozen mixed vegetables and cauliflower rice and cook for 2-3 minutes or heated throughout. 

  3. Push cauliflower rice off to the side and add beaten eggs to the other side of the pan. Cook until the eggs are fluffy and then mix everything together. Turn heat to low and add coconut aminos or soy sauce, sesame oil, optional spices and season with sea salt & pepper. Top with sliced green onions and if you want extra protein, some cubed or shredded chicken! I also love serving with seaweed too1 

January 25, 2018 By Karis Alex Leave a Comment

How To Make Bone Broth (2 Ways!)

How to make bone broth in a crock pot and pressure cooker!

Yes, believe all the hype. Bone broth truly is an elixir of life. People are drinking it left and right, making it homemade, buying it in the store, finding powder potions. It’s almost replaced coffee!

Ok, that was a bad joke not to be joked about. Coffee still stands first place in my book.

But really, get on the bone broth train/wagon/horse…ALL THE THINGS. Because it’s at the station and the steam engine is a rollin.’

Yea, I don’t know if I’ve ever been good at those whatever you call them. Anyhow, let’s talk about the elephant in the room. BONE BROTH.

You probably want to know all the secrets and benefits of the broth so I’m going to tell you just that.

Bone broth is incredible for gut health. Did you know that 70% of our immune system lies in our gut? So by drinking this you are building up your immune system. This is why we all hear that chicken noodle soup is the best when you are feeling sick because back in the day, they knew the benefits of the slowly, simmering chicken stock! So kick the canned soup to the curb cause it ain’t got nothing on this stuff.

Your gut will thank you as bone broth helps break down proteins making it easier to digest food and build up good bacteria called probiotics.

Another popular word you may have heard is collagen. That is a protein that makes up the lining the GI tract which is important so that food particles are digested and won’t cause acid reflux, IBS and leaky gut syndrome. Another important word is gelatin (hello gelatinous bone broth!) which is the breakdown of collagen. The gelatin in bone broth contains amino acids arginine and glutamine which is beneficial to your skin rebuilding connective tissue, improves muscle building and keeps your immune system strong!

As the bone broth slowly simmers (or cooks in the pressure cooker!) minerals are extracted from the bones such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorous and other essential nutrients (source). Bone broth has over 19 essential and non-essential amino acids which are the building blocks of proteins (source). What we get is amazing gelatin to protect our joints, repair cartilage, promote heart health and bone density. Also, many people report back saying how amazing their skin and hair looks due to the collagen forming elastin, which is what keeps our skin looking young!

I’ve made the bone broth two ways. The first way you can make it in the crock pot. I like to leave mine low and slow for at least 30 hours. Another way is using a pressure cooker. You can obtain the same results in two hours. It’s just a personal preference on which electric pot you have!

After you let the bone broth cool, make sure you keep the fat from the top because you can use that in cooking. Just put it in a small mason jar and refrigerate it using it up within a few days. There will be some moisture in the fat so if you want a longer shelf life you’ll have to render it (similarly to making ghee). Otherwise, I’ve skimmed the fat off, melted it down and poured it into silicon ice cube trays (see below pink tray!) and then stored it in the freezer. When I want to cook with the fat I just pop one container out and use it in the pan.

I like to store my bone broth in these silicon molds because it makes for easy storage in the freezer. Then, once they are solid frozen, I pop them out and store in baggies in the freezer. I’ll take a few out at a time and heat them up in a pan on the stove top for some yummy sipping bone broth! Or you can put a few in your veggies to steam and also have amazing stock for soups and sauces!

If you are planning to use up the bone broth within a week, just store in a medium size mason jar in your fridge. Don’t worry about getting all the herbs out of the stock you’ve made, it continues to add flavor! You can buy your bones at a local grocery store, but make sure they are organic grass-fed beef or chicken bones that you are using. Or what I do is buy a whole organic chicken and cook it, then debone the chicken and save the bones in the freezer and use them when I’m ready.

And if you are making beef or lamb broth, it’s a great extra step to roast the bones to enhance the flavor. If you are making chicken, turkey or fish stock then it’s ok to just put it straight in the pot. And remember, don’t be afraid to use those necks and wings from the chicken!

You can add vegetables into the mix like an onion, garlic, celery, or carrots to boost the flavor and extra nutrients. Then a few tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and filtered water into the mix and you are good to go!

Just look how beautiful this full jar is. And how beautiful it could be sitting in your fridge! I know it sounds intimidating to make bone broth all by yourself, but now you know, it’s easy and really so much cheaper to make than to buy.

Here’s to your new days of sipping this golden elixir of life!

Print

Pressure Cooker or Slow Cooker Bone Broth

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 5 minutes

Ingredients

  • 4-5 lbs meat bones, feet, neck
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 onion cut in half, skin on
  • enough water to cover the bones
  • other vegetables like carrots, celery, garlic
  • fresh herbs like rosemary, thyme, parsley

Instructions

Pressure Cooker

  1. If using chicken bones, put directly into the pot with apple cider vinegar. If using beef bones, roast at 400 for 30-60 minutes until golden brown. Add desired vegetables and fill with filtered water right above the bones.*

  2. Follow the directions on your pressure cooker by placing the lid on and locking it securely. Cook on high for two hours. Strain broth in a colander and allow to cool. Remove fat from top layer. Store in mason jars or silicon molds.

Slow Cooker

  1. Follow first step*

  2. Cook chicken broth for 24 hours. Cook beef broth for 48 hours. 

  3. Strain broth in a colander and allow to cool. Remove fat from top layer. Store in mason jars or silicon molds.

January 18, 2018 By Karis Alex Leave a Comment

One Pan Greek Lemon Chicken & Vegetables

Make this yummy and easy one-pan meal for a flavorful weeknight dinner!

Ok, so you know how you have those staple meals every week? The ones where you keep on repeat because they don’t fail you. The meal when you need to throw something together in the same pan because you just can’t have so many dishes this night. Well this is one of my go-to-no-fail-recipes. The one that can really incorporate a variety of vegetables, potatoes and meat. I’ve used chicken drumsticks because I think chicken tastes the best when it’s on the bone, but you could use chicken thighs too or a variety grill pack!

I love having these back pocket recipes because you can also mix it up! If you’d like to add some golden potatoes, just put them in the oven the same time as the chicken. Or if you’d rather use broccoli or cauliflower instead of zucchini, go for it! This recipe is very forgiving but packed with so much flavor. The best part is the pan juice from the chicken broth, olive oil, lemon juice and white wine. Sometimes I’ll take the pan out from the oven in increments and pour the juice on top of the veggies and chicken to get more of a glaze! I’ve also taken the juice and made lemon rice to go with the meal!

Seriously guys, pan juice, you don’t want to waste it.

The rosemary and oregano pair so well with the chicken and vegetables with just the right amount of spice! And don’t forget the fresh crushed garlic and lots of lemon juice that slowly cook with everything. Have I got your mouth watering yet? And keep that chicken skin on! Cracked pepper and sea salt help that chicken get a little golden crispy. Plus, don’t get me started on the leftovers. Sometimes I wonder if I should make all my meals the day before so they can sit in the fridge and gather up all the flavor. This is a great option to take to lunch the next day!

If you are feeling real “Greek” then you should probably serve this meal with a side of lots of tomatoes, olive oil and feta or go the whole way and make a big Greek salad. And don’t forget all the kalamata olives!

Kosta, my husband, will always try to get me to make 3 things every week: feta guacamole, Greek salad with feta, and this lemon chicken piled up with lots of feta. But even if I don’t have those things every week I know that feta will get him through because he puts that stuff on EVERYTHING.

So, I’ll leave you with this. Even though feta is not “technically” in this recipe, Kosta would say that it’s basically not Greek then because it has to have feta.

Feta = game changer.

Print

Greek Lemon Chicken

Servings 3 servings

Ingredients

  • 6 chicken drumsticks
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 1/2 cup lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp crushed garlic
  • 1 tbsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tbsp cracked pepper
  • 1 tbsp rosemary
  • 3 medium zucchini
  • 1 tbsp oregano

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

  2. Place the chicken drumsticks, broth, olive oil, white wine, lemon juice, and crushed garlic in a cast iron pan or a baking pan. Top with sea salt, cracked pepper, rosemary and oregano. Bake for 30 minutes. 

  3. Slice zucchini in half then cut lengthwise. Add to the pan of chicken and pour the pan juice on top of zucchini to coat. Bake for an additional 30 minutes. Enjoy!

November 19, 2017 By Karis Alex Leave a Comment

Pomegranate Chicken (one pot!)

This roast chicken is perfect for a weeknight dinner adding a tangy flavor from the fresh pomegranate!

I can’t believe this is my first dish with pomegranates. I mean, I’ve had pomegranates before but it’s always been by itself. You know, you just slice it in half, place it in a water bath (so much easier to peel!) and then pop the seeds right out. But I feel like pomegranates are so festive for the holidays and I’ve been seeing them in a lot of recipes, especially salads. So I felt it was time to get on board with this bright, juicy, red fruit!

One of my favorite things at Thanksgiving is the cranberry sauce with the turkey. Like I love gravy and all but I don’t feel like my plate is complete without the cranberry sauce. So I was thinking to myself, what else can add that tart, tangy flavor like cranberry sauce, but without having to make it over the stove top? And that’s how I decided to eat pomegranate seeds with chicken. It’s seriously such a perfect mix! This dish only calls for half the pomegranate, but you for sure could add the rest. I didn’t add the pomegranate seeds until the end because I didn’t want to cook the seeds. However, I bet it would give it a wonderful, bright taste if you add half of it during the baking time and the other half once it’s done cooking.

I’ve been adding pomegranate seeds into my sparkling water and then of course topped with gin cause why not?! It makes the best cocktail addition! I’m thinking of making a Holiday cocktail recipe with pomegranate seeds, kombucha and gin so look for it on the blog soon! One thing to be careful of is that these seeds will stain anything they come in contact with…so don’t wear white when you peel them (they aren’t as bad as beets though!)

Come on, look at that crispy skin! When you can buy your chicken organic, I always leave the skin on. Healthy collagen that’s great for your skin, hair and nails! Plus, it’s so tasty when it’s fried up in olive oil and sizzling to golden perfection. It also locks in the flavor of the chicken, keeping it juicy, so don’t forget that important step in cooking.

If you are having an intimate Thanksgiving and don’t want to cook up a whole turkey bird, why not make this dish for your festive dinner? It not only looks beautiful but tastes so yummy! If you didn’t want to add the rice, you could probably trade it in for potatoes, unless you were going to serve it with mashed potatoes. The few extra springs of rosemary are placed on top of the chicken as a garnish and are not necessary for taste. I like to keep the rosemary stems whole in the chicken and then just discard the stem once it’s done cooking. Then top off the dish with some pomegranate seeds and voila dinner is served!

 

Print

Pomegranate Chicken (one pot!)

Ingredients

  • 1 Chicken grill pack (3 drumsticks, 3 bone-in chicken thighs)
  • 1 cup Rice
  • 1 cup White wine
  • 1 cup Chicken broth
  • 1 Onion, sliced lengthwise
  • 4-5 Garlic cloves
  • 1/4-1/2 cup Pomegranate seeds
  • 2-3 tbsp Olive oil
  • Several sprigs of fresh rosemary
  • Sea salt & freshly cracked pepper

Instructions

  1. Turn oven on to 325 degrees F.

    Slice onion lengthwise. Peel and dice garlic cloves.

  2. Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper.

    In a large dutch oven heat 2 tbsp olive oil on high heat and add chicken to the pan. Brown each side about 4-5 minutes until skin gets crispy.

    Remove chicken from pan and place on a plate. Set aside.

  3. Add 2 tbsp olive oil to dutch oven pan and add garlic and onions. Cook until onions are clear. Turn down heat to medium-low and add wine and chicken broth to pan to deglaze.

    Pour the rice in the pan and add chicken too. Season with about 1 tsp of sea salt and pepper, a few sprigs of rosemary and drizzle olive oil on top of chicken.

  4. Place pot in oven with lid on for 2 hours. Serve with pomegranate seeds on top of the chicken!

Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

Connect With Food In a Healthy Way

Get exclusive Root + Savor content straight to your inbox.

Meet Karis


Hey there! My name is Karis and I’m from Minnesota, although I don’t know anything about hot dishes, jello fruit salad, or canned casseroles. See, my Mom grew up in Japan and learned how to cook miso soup and fermented soybeans and sushi. So despite us living in the North, I was the kid who ate dried seaweed and brown rice and mochi bean paste for lunch instead of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches....

READ MORE

Footer

Connect

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest