Moroccan Spiced Carrot Salad (Paleo & Vegan)

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To my surprise, little baby carrot heads were popping out from the surface of our garden beds back in early March. They were from seeds planted last year, ones that didn’t sprout before the season ended. And somehow, they grew on through snow and frost and unpredictable Colorado spring weather... hardy little plants to say the least! I’m planning to xeriscape our front yard this year, and build brand new garden boxes, so I’ll likely have to wipe them out before they get fully grow, but maybe they’ll have enough time to grow into baby carrots before then. 

Moroccan Carrot Salad is a quick recipe and perfect for carrots big or small: only 4 real salad components, if you don’t count the spices that give it that Moroccan flare. Carrots, parsley, raisins, and lemon vinaigrette. Then, ground cumin, coriander, paprika, cayenne, and cinnamon pop in and dress it up. Thanks to those spices, this carrot salad really stands out. 

I use a food processor with a shredding attachment to shred the carrots — I do not have the patience to do that by hand! 

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This is the perfect side to Moroccan Beef Kabobs, or Lamb & Winter Squash Tagine.

Moroccan Spiced Carrot Salad

Published April 17, 2018 by Caitlin Sherwood

Serves: 6   |    Total Time: 20 minutes

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Ingredients:

• 3 to 4 cups shredded carrots
• 1/3 cup minced parsley
• 1/3 cup raisins
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon ground paprika
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 dashes ground cayenne
• Juice from 2 lemons
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Place shredded carrots in a bowl with minced parsley and raisins. Add cumin coriander, paprika, cinnamon, and cayenne and toss.
2. Make vinaigrette: Mince the garlic and add it to a jar with the lemon juice, olive oil, and salt. Shake to combine. (Makes enough dressing for 2-3 salads). Drizzle about 1/3 of vinaigrette over salad, or to taste. Toss and serve!

Cinnamon, Berry + Pecan Baked Oatmeal

This cinnamon, berry and pecan oatmeal will fill your house with the smell of toasting nuts and maple.

Even if you don’t usually like oatmeal (I don’t) you should give baked oatmeal a try. The edges are crispy, almost like the topping on a crumble, and the middle is custardy. It doesn't have the same texture as a bowl of porridge--and to me, that's a plus. Baked oatmeal is almost like a breakfast cake (one you can feel good about) and it's super adaptable: you can add pretty much anything that suits your fancy, like bananas, peanut butter, or even chocolate chips. This version calls for pecans, which are one of my favorite nuts when toasted. Here, they add little bites of crunch between bursts of berry.

The full recipe serves about eight, six if the crowd is really hungry.

I would say this is a brunch recipe, good for any holiday, but I made it on Monday morning. What away to start the week! We topped to each slice with a dollop of Greek yogurt, but for a special occasion, whip cream sure would dress it up nice. The mint leaf on top is optional, but I love how it freshens it up.

Looking for more brunch recipes to serve a crowd? 

• Caramelized sweet potatoes are a great side dish

• This Denver Omelet Breakfast Casserole is grain-free and stuffed with peppers, cheese, and potatoes

• Try these Banana Nut Waffles made with almond flour!

• Get more ideas in the Foraged Breakfast eCookbook

Cinnamon, Berry + Pecan Baked Oatmeal

Published March 27, 2018 by Caitlin Sherwood

Serves: 8   |    Total Time: 45 minutes

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Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup whole milk yogurt
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cup rolled oats
• 1-1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup frozen mixed berries (I used blueberries and blackberries)
• 1/2 cup pecans
• To serve: yogurt & a spring of mint

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine melted butter, maple syrup, milk, yogurt, egg, and vanilla extract. Whisk to combine.
3. Add oats, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt to bowl, and stir until a loose batter forms.
4. Fold in 1/3 cup of pecans (reserving the rest for the next step) and 1 cup berries. Stir as briefly as possible — the berries may turn batter purple if over mixed.
5. Scrape batter into a 9 inch x 9 inch glass baking dish and smooth into even layer. Arrange remaining pecans on the top of the oatmeal.
6. Bake for 30 minutes, until edges are set and top is golden. Center will still be soft. Allow to cool 5 minutes, then serve on plates with a dollop of yogurt and mint leaves.

One Pan Paleo Chicken Cacciatore

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Camera Update: I got my new camera in mail yesterday! I’m over the moon. I’ll be returning to the regular posting scheduling shortly, now what I can shoot! 

Now... on to this delicious dish! 

I’ve been on a re-working streak: revisiting old favorites from the blog and taking new pictures (like this Chicken & Sweet Potato Curry, or this Lemony Garden Vegetable & Chicken Soup). It takes some of the mind-work out of the equation, leaving me to only do the creative pieces: photography, a bit of writing, quite a lot of eating. 

This one-pan chicken cacciatore is one of those revisited recipes. I originally made this recipe when I was in the middle of finals for grad school. It feels like a lifetime ago. At the time, exams, essays, and textbooks took up such a large part of my life it was hard to believe it could be any other way. In retrospect that was a short lived moment in my journey, one that I even forget about most of the time. All the better, as my experience with grad school was unremarkable. 

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When I first published this recipe I had said, "I need meals that are simple, quick, and take a minimal amount of brain work.” But I was also looking for ways to express myself creatively, something multiple choice tests didn’t allow. It's that creative need that comes through in this recipe, inspired by a single night out at Pasta Jay’s on Pearl Street. 

I remember—not the exact dish I had eaten at Pasta Jay’s- but the thoughts that ran through my head when I ate the leftovers out of a cardboard to-go box the next day. The dish awed me, to be honest. I had never had anything but pasta-laden dishes from Italian restaurants before (to be expected), but this dish had no pasta, and was the best thing I’d eaten that month. 

I ate that meal in 2011 and originally wrote up this recipe in 2015. It’s now been 7 years, and that first introduction to cacciatore stays with me.

Making cacciatore is a bit of a production: if you really want to impress people, you’ll need to get fresh basil, and there are a few things you’ll need to chop. Oh, but it’s worth it. Since I’m usually making this on a weeknight, after running errands or getting a workout in, I try to chop everything ahead of time (in the morning, or the night before). I’ll even measure out the spices and put them in a bowl, so that when evening rolls around I don’t even have to think. Just put things in the pot (I use a blue Le Creuset Braiser for meals like this) and remember to stir occasionally! 

One Pan Paleo Chicken Cacciatore

Published February 27, 2018 by Caitlin Sherwood

Serves: 4   |    Total Time: 60 minutes

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Ingredients:

• 1 pound bone-in chicken thighs (boneless and skinless is fine too, just reduce cooking time - cook thighs until internal temperature reaches 185°F)
• 1 teaspoon coconut oil
• 1/2 medium white onion, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 bell peppers, sliced in strips (choose a variety of colors: yellow, red, or green)
• 1/4 cup red wine, such a Pinot Noir or Sirah
• 2 14.5-ounce cans of crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 cup canned artichoke hearts, drained and quartered 
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, sliced chiffonade style style, plus more for garnish
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• Optional for serving: grated Parmesan Reggiano cheese, red pepper flakes, extra basil leaves

Directions:

1. Heat the coconut oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet (I use my 5-qt Le Creuset Braiser, though a 13 to 15 inch skillet would work as well). Once the oil glistens, place chicken thighs skin-side down in the pan. Sear the chicken for 3 minutes, then flip them over and continue to cook chicken for 5 more minutes.
2. After 5 minutes, place the onions, garlic, and peppers in pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent. Add the wine, and scrape the pan with a wooden spoon. Bring to a simmer.
3. Pour in the tomatoes, and stir in the artichoke hearts, balsamic vinegar, basil, thyme, red pepper flakes, oregano, salt and pepper.
4. Bring back up to simmer, and place lid on pan. Cook, for 20-30 more minutes, until an instant read thermometer reads 185°F when inserted into the center of the thickest thigh.
5. Remove from heat, and serve on plates or in bowls. Garnish with grated parmesan, red pepper flakes, and/or extra basil.
6. Tip: try serving this over spiralized zucchini or spaghetti squash for a grain-free pasta option.