Curry Butter Shrimp

An easy and flavorful meal made from pantry staples, curry butter shrimp 

takes ten minutes to make and is gluten-free and paleo-friendly.

I've kind of been boycotting grocery stores. Weekend before last I went to Florida for a wedding, and since getting back I have not set foot in one. I finished up my last week of my last internship for graduate school this past Friday, we're getting ready to move down to Chattanooga this coming weekend, and I'm exhausted. Ben has been kind enough to pick up essentials like coffee, eggs, fruit, and bacon for us, but the eggs ran out yesterday.

What's a girl to do without any eggs for breakfast and with a long day of packing ahead of her? The answer is definitely not grocery shopping. The answer is curry butter shrimp! Yes, I ate this at ten in the morning. No, I have no regrets. #dinnerforbreakfast may not be mainstream yet, but just you wait and see!



I didn't do a 30 Minute Mondays post yesterday because I wanted to announce my cookbook (Paleo Planet is available for pre-order from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and indie bookstores near you!). This is even better, though, because this is like 10 Minute Wednesday--not as alliterative, but much faster. Not counting the rice or cauliflower rice, this meal comes together in just ten minutes. (And, true confession, I didn't even make this rice. It's left over from the Indian food we ordered last night.)

Curry butter shrimp is a flavorful pantry recipe that requires almost no chopping (except for the cilantro--but if you're really anti-chop you could just break that up into little sprigs). Melted butter or ghee is mixed with Thai curry paste to form a fragrant sauce for cooking the shrimp. A tiny bit of maple syrup and fish sauce add just enough sweetness and umami to complement the rich butter and spicy curry.

Brown Butter Cacao Nib Skillet Cake

This quick brown butter cacao nib skillet cake is gluten free, 

grain free, and so satisfying.

It cooled down just enough in Boston this weekend for me to feel good about cranking up the oven and baking a cake. And boy, was I glad I did! This grain-free skillet cake is so easy to whip up, looks and smells like a giant cookie, but boasts a unique and sophisticated flavor thanks to the browned butter and cacao nibs. I highly recommend making it today--it's perfect for dessert or simply as a snack cake!

This recipe is adapted from Selma's Table, my assigned blog for this month's Secret Recipe Club reveal day. I had a hard time choosing a recipe because Selma has so many tantalizing options. I almost bought anchovies for the first time because this walnut, herb, and anchovy sauce sounded so delicious (I wanted to pair it with some zoodles!). This Italian version of shepherd's pie looks fabulous, too. Also, what sounds better than black summer truffle pesto roast chicken?

Basil Lime Chicken with Roasted Vegetables

 

An easy basil lime compound butter makes crispy chicken 

and roasted vegetables extra special.

Happy Friday! Are you ready to slather your dinner in an irresistible basil lime compound butter?

I love this meal because it's simple and flavorful. The basil lime butter makes the chicken and vegetables more delicious without making them taste any less like themselves. Instead of obscuring the flavors of the main ingredients like heavy sauces sometimes do, it just kisses them with a little herbal, citrusy richness that still lets their natural essence come through. 

For the roasted vegetables, you can use whatever you have on hand. I used beets, carrots, summer squash, and onions. They need different amounts of time to roast, so I added the beets to the baking sheet first, then the carrots, and finally the squash and onions. If you want to sub in other vegetables and aren't sure how long they need to roast, check out this handy chart.

Vanilla Chai Spiced Ghee + Chai Ghee "Latte" (Whole30 Day 26)

I am so obsessed with ghee.  Ever since I followed Nom Nom Paleo's instructions and made my first batch, it's been a staple in my kitchen.  First of all, it smells amazing.  Second, it's easy to make.  Third, it has a high smoke point, which means it won't burn like butter does during high-heat cooking.  Fourth, it tastes great with everything.  And bonus--it's lactose and casein free.

I've even been putting a teaspoon or so of ghee and coconut oil in my morning coffee (inspired by Stupid Easy Paleo).  After a short blitz with the immersion blender, it's foamy like a latte.  Delicious.  Basically, ghee is saving my Whole30 life.

Make Your Own Butter (plus Maple Spice Compound Butter)

When I was in kindergarten, my teacher brought in cream and we all made butter together.  I loved it, and butter-making became a Thanksgiving tradition for me--every year I make my own butter and use a cookie cutter to make it into a turkey shape.  I've also made butter with my own students and their families several times, and I'm always surprised at how many parents don't know that you can easily make your own butter at home with just a jar and some heavy cream.

There is a bit of work involved, since you need to shake the jar like crazy for a while.  It's easy with a group because you can pass the jar to the next person if you get tired, but I can still get from cream to butter in 15 minutes or less when I'm the only one shaking.

Of course, there is an easier method: pour the cream into a big bowl and beat it with an electric mixer.  However, there's something really nice about doing it the old-fashioned way.